


I Can Be Your Everything

by CaliBDiamond



Series: The Power of Three [1]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Shameless Smut, Threesome - F/M/M, Undercover Missions, Undercover as a Couple, disaster bisexuals in space, obi-wan is a lecherous bastard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:48:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 240,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23080441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaliBDiamond/pseuds/CaliBDiamond
Summary: It's an undercover mission with unexpected benefits.Obi-Wan is a lecherous bastard, Anakin is possessive but empathetic, and Ventress serves to confuse yet another young Jedi girl into questioning exactly what her sexuality might be. Catcher is here too, but he's just a pretty little bangpiece.It's filth, pure and simple.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker/Original Female Character(s), Asajj Ventress & Original Female Character(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker/Original Female Character(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi/Original Female Character(s), Original Clone Trooper Character(s)/Original Jedi Character(s)
Series: The Power of Three [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717603
Comments: 9
Kudos: 96





	1. I Am the Sinner

This mission was a bunch of sithspit.

Iza hadn’t asked to be part of this team. She hadn’t _wanted_ anything to do with being dragged into some kind of undercover assignment—or anything that didn’t involve being able to bring her Squad along. But when her Master had insisted that she’d be a perfect fit alongside Masters Skywalker and Kenobi she’d really had no other choice. At first, the idea of playing the part of someone _not_ a Jedi had been _kind of_ appealing. Iza had a bit of a secret side to her that often longed to know what it was like to live as a normal person, and this would give her a chance to have a taste of that. But then she’d been told that she couldn’t bring her Commander with her for safety’s sake and _that_ had almost made her say no to the whole thing. The only real reason she’d agreed was because Master Skywalker’s Padawan, Ahsoka, was much too young to play the part she’d be playing.

And it might be a little awkward for the girl to be her Master’s _courtesan._

Why they’d taken such a strange assignment hadn’t been explained to her in full detail. She only knew that she was there to act as a decoration of sorts and gather intel while working the room. She wasn’t even sure what Master Kenobi’s role was in all of this and frankly, she’d grown tired of asking questions. Most of them had been met with vague answers or no answers at all, and it was only when she threatened to pass the role off to someone else that they’d given her some story about spice smuggling. She’d decided that she didn’t need to know anything else but the bare minimum after that. The costumes she’d been given to wear were interesting, to say the least. While Iza had always had a quiet fascination with Twi’lek fashion, she’d never imagined that she’d be made to wear anything similar to it. Most of the garments were comfortable, if not a bit impractical. The materials were flimsy and sheer and clung in ways she wasn’t used to because of the robes she’d worn for the last twenty-four years of her life. But she had to admit—they didn’t look terrible.

The shoes, on the other hand, were an absolute nightmare.

“Why can’t I just wear boots?” She asked when she’d emerged from the back of the starship dressed in some pale pink gauzy thing that seemed to cover absolutely _nothing_ and left her feeling a little too exposed to the gazes of the men on board. Master Kenobi was able to keep his eyes at a respectable level while Master Skywalker let his eyes drop a few times before he gave up and stared out of the transperisteel to watch the stars as they flew by instead.

“I apologize, Jedi Tacor,” Obi-Wan offered the faintest of smiles before he too had to turn his eyes elsewhere, though he was a little less obvious about it. “The sandals are what we were given.”

She wanted to complain further about how dreadful they felt on her feet but now she just wanted to escape into the back of the ship again. This was entirely too much skin to have on display and she felt like one wrong move would shift something out of place and expose even _more_ to their eyes than they needed to see.

“You’re welcome to wear this,” the older man held out his thick brown cloak to her and Iza hoped she didn’t look too eager as she stood to take it and wrap it around her shoulders.

“Thank you, Master Kenobi,” giving a nod and a small smile of gratitude, the brunette reclaimed her seat and flicked her gaze back to Anakin. The younger Jedi seemed almost distracted now, drumming the gloved fingers of his cybernetic hand against the arm of the chair he sat in while simultaneously bouncing his leg. Strange; if she searched hard enough, she could feel a sense of anxiety wafting off of him. He tamped it down quickly enough, however. Perhaps he was worried someone aboard the ship might catch on that he wasn’t exactly prepared for this mission yet?

Iza had been so busy _thinking_ that she hadn’t realized he was looking back at her over his shoulder, his blue eyes fixed on her as his fingers drummed harder against the chair. Her cheeks colored at the realization that she’d been caught staring and she dropped her eyes to the ground, feeling the urge to pull the cloak around her tighter. She thought she heard a soft grunt like a laugh, but couldn’t be sure.

“Anakin, will you sit still?” Obi-Wan mumbled from his seat.

“Sorry, Master,” Anakin stilled his leg, but couldn’t seem to stop the tapping. Even when Obi-Wan shot him a sidelong look, he kept it up until the older man sighed heavily.

“Iza my dear,”

Picking her head up at being addressed by her first name, she looked over and raised both brows expectantly.

“Yes, sir?”

“Would you be so kind as to come and take Anakin’s place up here? He needs to get changed.”

“I…” she didn’t know much about flying the starships. Master Windu hadn’t been a big fan of letting her behind the controls of anything until the Clone Wars had begun. “Yes, sir,”

Getting to her feet, she started to walk up to trade Anakin for his seat when she snagged her foot on the hem of the long robe and stumbled forward. She caught herself before she had a chance to fall, but the move also sent her colliding into the younger Jedi as he passed. The grunt he gave when she crashed into him was low, but audible enough for her to hear and his hands came up to steady her shoulders before nudging her back from him.

“Sor—”

Anakin gave her no time to apologize before he brushed past her, and she frowned after him. Well _fine_. If he wanted to be a grump about it, then she wouldn’t bother. Pulling the cloak closed again, she pulled the long panels up so she wouldn’t trip again and continued over to the seat, dropping down into it with a huff.

“You’ll have to excuse him,” Obi-Wan said from beside her, offering a soft smile.

“Is he always like this?”

“Er, _no_ ,” the older man looked like he wasn’t entirely sure how he wanted to explain Anakin’s behavior. “He’s a little… this mission is…”

“Is it me?” Tilting her head to get him to look at her, Iza twisted her mouth in a half-frown.

“No, my dear.” Something about the way he said it felt like a lie. “I believe my young friend is simply agitated by what this mission entails.”

“So… it _is_ me?”

Obi-Wan let out a gentle laugh and shook his head, giving her a look.

“No, dear,” he seemed to be trying _very_ hard not to grin. “It’s not something I can explain, honestly. He’s…”

“Master,” Anakin’s irritated voice pulled both of their attention towards the back and Iza couldn’t help the slight double-take she did at the attire he’d been given to wear. She was used to him wearing darker clothing—the others at the Temple often frowned upon it, but she felt it suited him—but she hadn’t expected the snug fitting tunic with its deep, skin-baring V-neck. The leather trousers weren’t terrible either, if she were to be honest with herself. Again, he caught her staring and gave her an almost amused look that forced her to turn away before he addressed Obi-Wan again. “It’s your turn.”

“Right,” glancing to Iza—who’d taken to staring at the thick material of the cloak she wore—he sighed and got up from his seat to head into the back. “I’ll only be a moment, Anakin. Don’t touch anything.”

“I _won’t_.” Sounding offended that he’d even say something like that, Anakin scoffed quietly and moved to take over the pilot’s chair. Dropping into the seat with another one of those low grunts, the younger Jedi stayed relatively silent—aside from the tapping of his fingers.

Iza was almost content to just let him fidget if it made him happy, but when he started bouncing his leg again and a sense of agitation began to fill the space between them, she picked her head up and set her gaze on him.

“Can you stop that, please?”

Looking over at her like he’d forgotten she was even sitting beside him, Anakin blinked slowly and rubbed his finger against his top lip. The bouncing slowed, but didn’t cease and the agitation eased into something else; Iza couldn’t quite identify it.

Heaving a sigh, she rolled her eyes and went back to fiddling with the edge of Obi-Wan’s cloak. She supposed as long as he wasn’t projecting his negative feelings onto her, she didn’t need to complain about his twitchiness. She did hate how she could feel his eyes on her, though. It made her uncomfortable and she reached up to pull the hood of the cloak over her head when he reached out and stopped her.

“What happened?” The brush of his finger against the scar on her cheek was gentle, but she still turned away from it. She knew she was going to have to get used to it for the sake of the assignment—but they weren’t officially _on_ the assignment yet. He didn’t need to touch her.

“Commando droid,” she said plainly, trying not to laugh as she shrugged. “It thought it was a good idea to attack my Commander. I proved it wrong.”

“You’re a General?” he sounded almost impressed.

“I am.” Nodding, Iza shifted her gaze to him slowly. “Do you know the Star Squad?”

“They’re a branch from the 187th, right?”

“Correct. Those are my boys.” Iza couldn’t stop the proud smile that spread onto her lips. She was very fond of her little team and it felt strange being out in the field without them.

“Rex has mentioned them before. Haven’t had a chance to work with them yet.”

“You head Torrent Company, don’t you?” Swiveling in the chair a little to make it easier to look at him, she raised an eyebrow and let the smile grow wider. “Your boys are a little out of my league, I think.”

Anakin laughed and shot her a funny look.

“You know your Master’s battalion is one of the highest ranking, right? Most of the troopers are of elite status—probably including your squad.”

“I wasn’t aware this was a lightsaber measuring contest, Master Skywalker,” rolling a careless shoulder, Iza waved her hand. “I understand how this works— _I do_. But as Catcher _constantly_ likes to remind me, we’re all the same on the battlefield. We all fight, we all bleed and we are all capable of dying. Rank means nothing to the enemy. Only to the people in charge of sending us out.”

The younger man eyed her for a minute before giving a slow nod.

“That’s a good point.”

“Have the two of you decided to make friends?” Obi-Wan’s voice had both of the young Jedi turning in their chairs to look back at him and once again, Iza had to make it a point not to stare. His costume was similar to Anakin’s, although his tunic was a deep shade of maroon and there was just the lightest thatch of chest hair peeking out from the deep neckline. Whoever had decided to give both of them such snug-fitting clothes was a damn heathen with an agenda.

“Uh huh,” _oh_ —okay; so speaking had been a bad idea. Immediately clearing her throat, Iza turned her eyes to the floor and silently cursed at herself. _What the **hell**?_ It wasn’t as though she didn’t know _most_ of the other female Jedi at the Temple held the same opinion that Master Obi-Wan was a very attractive man, but there was a difference between thinking something like that _privately_ and being so blatantly obvious about it. Resisting the urge to reach up and scrub the embarrassed heat from her cheeks, she distractedly ran her fingers through her hair and tried to focus on the control panel in front of her instead.

“I’m glad to hear that.” If he’d noticed anything, he sure didn’t sound like it. _Good_.

“Would you like your seat back, Master?” She wished her throat wasn’t so damn dry. She also wished she hadn’t _looked_. Maybe if she hadn’t seen the older man in that stupid outfit, she wouldn’t be having such a difficult time keeping composure. Why didn’t Anakin look like that? Not that the younger Jedi wasn’t attractive; there was just something _different_ about the way Master Obi-Wan presented himself in his costume.

“That won’t be necessary. Anakin can handle the controls for me.”

“If you change your mind—”

“I will let you know, my dear.”

Pressing her lips together to stop the stupid smile that wanted to crawl across her face, Iza nodded and kept her eyes glued to the various knobs and buttons in front of her. She wasn’t sure when she’d started jiggling her foot, or when her knuckles had made their way to her mouth, but a particularly sharp bite pulled her out of her thoughts and she found herself surrounded by a very _strange_ feeling. The emotion was thick— _warm_ —and almost angry. It definitely didn’t belong to her. Shifting her gaze to Anakin, she found him half glaring at Obi-Wan from the corner of his eye. The elder Jedi didn’t seem to notice at all as he sat in the back, scrolling through something on a datapad.

Bringing her eyes back to Anakin, Iza felt something sharp zip from her chest to her stomach to see that he was staring dead at her. His gaze was different than it’d been before, almost accusing. She squirmed uncomfortably under the stare, finding that she couldn’t quite pull away from it.

“ _Anakin_ ,”

As soon as Obi-Wan’s voice broke the younger man’s stare away from her, Iza got up and moved to head into the back of the starship. She’d had enough of the suffocating feeling in the cockpit and she certainly didn’t want to endure any more of Anakin’s almost predatory gaze. She gasped a little when Obi-Wan’s hand gently closed around her arm to stop her, watching him rise to his feet while he assessed her silently and gave a questioning tilt of his head.

“I need…” what sort of excuse was she supposed to give him? “Water.”

He looked like he didn’t quite believe her, but released her nevertheless. Rushing away, Iza almost cussed out loud when she tripped on the cloak again, gathering it up and huffing to herself as she hurried into the sleeping quarters and shut the door. She did indeed need something to drink and she quickly grabbed the canteen she’d brought with her, though her attention was soon pulled to the sounds of hushed arguing coming from the front of the starship.

“There is no need for this kind of behavior, Anakin!” Obi-Wan sounded frustrated, but not angry.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve done nothing.”

“You startled her.”

“I haven’t _done_ anything, Master!” Anakin insisted, his voice rising in volume.

“Neither did she,” she could almost visualize Obi-Wan’s pointed expression. “You need to collect yourself, my friend. Get your thoughts together. We have a job to do and we do not have time for this.”

Anakin’s heavy sigh was loud enough to echo all the way down the hall.

“I’m sorry, Master,”

“I am not the one who needs your apology.”

Another sigh and Iza heard heavy footsteps getting closer to the door. A cold panic rose in her chest and she backed away, dropping the canteen in her hands with a loud clatter. This time, she _did_ swear out loud and was in the middle of kneeling to pick it up when the door slid open and Anakin’s looming figure blocked out some of the light shining in from the corridor. She could feel the water soaking into the material of the skirt she wore as she looked up at him, blindly feeling around for the canteen while trying not to look guilty for listening in.

Anakin’s blue eyes looked her over for a long moment and she thought she saw the corner of his lips twitch before he stepped into the room and bent to pick up the canteen, holding it out to her.

“Thank you,” taking it, she screwed the lid into place and hesitantly took the hand he offered before straightening. The wet slide of fabric against her skin had her looking down and groaning miserably. Not only had she gotten the costume wet, but the ends of Master Kenobi’s cloak had started soaking up the spilled liquid as well. “ _Kriffing hell_ ,”

The laugh that left Anakin’s lips was soft and amused, as was the smile on his face when she looked up at him again.

“You better not let him hear you say that.” Pointing a thumb over his shoulder, Anakin pursed his lips.

“He can’t be any worse than Master Windu when it comes to cursing.” Turning a hand up, Iza shrugged and plucked at the ever dampening fabric. “ _Man_ …”

“You can borrow mine, if you want.”

“You’re a whole head taller than he is,” shooting him a look, Iza snorted and shrugged out of the cloak, looking around for somewhere to hang it so it would dry. “I’m already having a hard time walking in that one.”

“Did you not bring yours?”

“I wasn’t told to.” Readjusting the top she wore as discreetly as possible, Iza pressed her lips together and tried not to look sheepish. “Master Windu said to pack lightly. Only an extra set of robes, my lightsaber, and the costumes.”

“Did he give you your chip card?”

“I have it, yes.”

“Then we’ll get you a cloak when we get to where we’re going. You’ll need one that matches the costumes a little better, anyhow.” Going to the closet, Anakin pulled his cloak from where he’d stuffed it and held it out to her. “For now, you may wear this.”

“I should change first.” She’d taken notice of just how sheer the skirt had become now that it was wet and she had a bad feeling Anakin had as well. “If you don’t mind…”

“Right. Excuse me.”

“Master Skywalker?”

“Anakin,” he corrected, smiling. “You can call me Anakin.”

“This assignment,” folding the cloak he’d given her, Iza held it against her chest and took a deep breath as she tried to gather her thoughts. Resting her chin atop the bundle of fabric, she looked up at him with light worry in her features. “This is safe, right? I’ve never done something like this before. I’m usually out on a battlefield. I don’t…” Iza had to pause to laugh. “I don’t know how to act like… _this_.”

For a moment, Anakin didn’t say anything. And then his hand came to rest on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze as he smiled warmly.

“We’re not going to let anything happen to you, Iza,” his thumb brushed slowly over the swell of her shoulder in light passes and Iza half expected him to touch her face next. “You will be with one of us at all times. And as for your behavior…” Anakin blew out a breath and turned his free hand up. “You’ll know what to do.”

Where the hell had she heard _that_ before?

“Thank you,” her smile was strained, but she did her best to make it appear as though she believed him. She also did her best not to look at the hand he still had resting on her shoulder. The little sweeps of his thumb had gotten slower and she swore he’d put a bit of pressure behind them.

“Well,” _finally_ , he let his hand fall away before taking a step back towards the door. “I’ll let you change. Feel free to join us up front if you like. I’ll let Master Obi-Wan know about his cloak.”

“Okay,” nodding, she watched him go and waited for the door to close before burying her face in the fabric of his cloak. _Maker_. How was she supposed to put up with this for— _how long were they here for, again?_ She’d forgotten to ask. She was in the middle of inhaling a deep breath—fully intent on sighing—when the scent of him wafted up her nose and made a tingle arc across her scalp. Immediately she tossed the thing onto the bed nearby and rubbed her hands over her face, cussing quietly and shaking her head. No; she didn’t have time for this. She needed to change and get her head clear and figure out how the hell she was supposed to act like someone’s whore.

She couldn’t waste time standing around, smelling Anakin’s damn clothes. It’d been hard enough trying not to bury her nose in the panels of Master Obi-Wan’s cloak. How _fantastic_ it was to have been stranded on assignment with two men who didn’t stink of blood and sweat and blaster bolt static. She was oh-so damn lucky, wasn’t she? _Sheesh_. Slipping her thumbs in the waist of the skirt she wore, she shimmied out of it and hung it up next to Obi-Wan’s cloak to let it dry, going to the bag where the rest of the costumes were to find something fresh and dry to wear.

~*~*~*~

“The black suits you.” Anakin said quietly as he ushered Iza through the loud club, one hand planted firmly against her lower back.

“Figured we might want to match,” she murmured back, trying to keep her eyes pointed forward. She’d decided to swap out the pink costume altogether for something that looked far more devious, but had less of a chance of slipping out of place if she moved too quickly. She didn’t care for how much skin was exposed—but _all_ of the costumes were like this, some of them worse than others. At least the black material ensured her modesty. Well, as much of it as it possibly could, anyway. There was a chuckle and then his hand was slipping to her hip, fingers pressing into soft flesh and pulling her against his side so they could squeeze in between patrons on their way to a table that Obi-Wan had secured for them.

The older man sat waiting for them, settled in a posture she’d never seen before. He was partially slouched, arms spread across the back of the white semi-circular seat and his knees parted to take up as much room as possible. He commanded the attention of the entire room and denied it at the same time, his blue eyes looking sharp behind the uncharacteristically mussed bits of russet-colored hair that fell across his forehead. Occasionally, he lifted a glass to his lips and took a sip of whatever it was that was inside, looking _bored_ while he did it. When he shifted his gaze in their direction, Iza felt her breath catch in her throat. It was like being spotted by a fucking _predator_ and she actually stumbled a little, causing Anakin to all but shove her forward to keep her moving.

Too-white teeth glinted in the dim light of the club as a smile spread across Obi-Wan’s lips and he held a hand out as they approached, tilting his head at her and giving her an appraising look. _Shit_. Was this even the same man? There was no trace at all of the stuffy, mild mannered Jedi Master that she knew. None at all.

“Come here, darling,” with a tiny wave of his fingers, Iza felt a tug near her navel that forced her forward until he could take her by the hand and pull her onto his lap. His fingers crawled up her arm and over her shoulder, sliding down her bare back so he could grasp onto her waist and pull her flush against his side.

Iza wasn’t sure how she felt about the way he displayed her with one leg dangling off his thigh and nearly her entire backside exposed to the entire room due to the way the material of her skirt had fallen. Another startled breath got stuck in her throat when he skimmed his palm from her waist to the curve of her ass and it took far more effort than she would’ve liked not to hide her face from his gaze when he tilted his head to look at her. _How_ could this be the same Obi-Wan she’d known since she was a child? She’d trained with this man on the days Master Windu was away and he’d always been so sweet and kind to her. To look at him now made her feel like she was about to be devoured whole by some kind of wicked, blue-eyed beast that had taken his place.

The press of his glass against her lips startled her out of her thoughts and Iza allowed him to tip the boozy contents into her mouth, swallowing it much easier than she thought she might. She’d had stronger stuff when out at the bar with her Squad; whatever was in Master Obi-Wan’s glass might as well have been Jogan juice. She’d started to chase a tiny dribble of liquid that had spilled over her lip with her tongue when his mouth got there first; hot and wet and _spicy_ like the whisky he’d just fed her. His beard scratched her chin and his teeth on her bottom lip made her clench her fingers in the front of his tunic. She felt weak when he pulled away and took all of the breath in her lungs with him, and she couldn’t believe he had the audacity to just _smile_ at her the way he did before a chuckle rumbled deep in his chest.

“Oh— _she’s_ going to be **fun**.”

Iza wanted to say something, wanted to ask what the hell was going on, when she felt the cushion dip just beside her and felt fingers trace along the curve of her spine. Turning her head, she found Anakin watching her closely with a look similar to the one in Obi-Wan’s eyes, although the younger Jedi seemed mildly annoyed with his Master.

“We should order her a proper drink,” Obi-Wan murmured, polishing off what was left in his glass and leaning forward to set it back on the table. Turning his attention to Iza, he raised his free hand and traced a finger down her scarred cheek. “Are you all right, my dear?”

 _No_. No she was not. Iza was confused. She was confused and _concerned_ and **hot**. The situation made no sense at all to her and as she tried to find some way to verbalize what she was feeling, she felt a cold pressure build low in the base of her spine and crawl its way up her back.

“Something’s wrong,” she whispered, absently trying to push herself up higher in his lap to get a good look around the room. Anakin’s hand pressed against the spot between her shoulders and kept her down, and he shook his head when she twisted to look at him again.

“Stay down,” he said quietly, shifting on the couch so he could be the one to search the room. “Where is it, Iza?”

 _Maker_ , it was hard to concentrate with both of them touching her. Pressing her lips together, she shut her eyes and rested her head lightly against Obi-Wan’s in some pathetic attempt to look as natural as possible while seeking out where the disturbance was coming from. Someone’s fingers brushed against the back of her thigh; the telltale feel of leather told her it was Anakin. That cold feeling was moving around the room on the far side near the private tables. It stopped and she picked her head up again, opening her eyes and nodding in the direction.

“There,”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan sounded a little more like himself as he jerked his head lightly, getting a nod in response. Iza felt Anakin get up from the couch and take his body heat with him, watching him wade into the sea of people and disappear among the crowd. When he was out of her line of sight, she started to push up again, only for Obi-Wan to chuckle and nudge her back into place. “He’ll be all right, darling,”

“What is this?” She asked finally, wishing she had more of that whisky to do something about the dryness in her throat. “Master—”

“Ah—” raising a finger, he shook his head and flashed one of those wicked smiles. “ _Ben_. Just call me Ben, darling.”

“ _Ben_ ,” what the hell kind of undercover name was that for a man who looked like _this?_ “Is this normal? What you’re doing?”

“Hm,” he touched her face again, smile softening just a bit. “I suppose I did come on a bit strong, didn’t I?”

_A bit._

“I apologize for not telling you sooner,” looking up as a waitress passed, he flagged her down and ordered two more glasses of the whisky he’d been drinking. Iza wanted to protest and tell him she’d rather have something _stronger_ , but figured it was probably better to keep a reasonably clear head. “We were afraid you wouldn’t agree if you knew the terms.”

“Terms?”

“Darling,” the hand he had clamped over her backside pulled her closer to him, effectively dragging her along his hip and causing a small shockwave of arousal to zip through her. Gasping sharply at the sensation, Iza dropped her head in embarrassment and tried to shift on him in a way that wouldn’t press her up against him like that again. The sound of his soft, amused laugh in her ears was followed by a kiss to the top of her head and a pat to the thigh she had draped across his lap. “You’ve nothing to be shy about, Iza. I assure you—that’s not the first time I’ve gotten **that** reaction.”

“ _Sir_ ,” her voice was muffled by the tunic he wore and she absolutely refused to look at him. “The terms?”

“Yes, well,” thanking the waitress when she stopped by the table with their drinks, Obi-Wan took a sip from his glass and sighed quietly. “You were made aware of your role beforehand, were you not?”

“I was,”

“And as I understand it,” he nudged her to get her to look up again. It took a few tries but when she finally managed to lift her head, he pressed the glass to her lips again, a brow going up when she took nearly half of its contents. “You were under the impression that you’d simply be a… _decoration_ , for lack of a better term.”

“Yes sir,”

“Well,” he leaned in again to kiss away the whisky that was visibly leftover on her lips. Such a _wasteful_ girl, wasn’t she? “It’s a little more complicated than that.”

“Please stop being so cryptic,” her head was spinning and she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the watered down booze he kept giving to her. “I’m a big girl, Master— _Ben_. I can take it.”

The grin that spread across his lips was too wild and too wicked to belong on _his_ face. This could not be Obi-Wan Kenobi. There was no way in the damned universe that this was the same man. He was far too lecherous, too sleazy, too _feral_ to be the famed Jedi Master. At least Anakin seemed to be behaving relatively normal. She supposed _someone_ had to.

“That remains to be seen,” something about the purr in his tone made her uneasy—and _unbearably_ hot. “But since you insist: I’m afraid you’ve been duped, my darling girl. This assignment is _one-hundred-percent_ Council assigned, and I promise that we _are_ here under the same circumstances that you were told. But—you are not here as our decoration. You’re not even here as our _courtesan_.”

“What am I?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

“You,” he offered her the glass of whisky and laughed a little when she swallowed down the remaining contents with no hesitation. “You are a _pet_ , my dear. _Our_ pet.”

“Pet?” she’d swallowed the whisky the wrong way and now her throat burned like hell. Bringing her hand up to wipe her chin before he had the chance to swoop in, Iza leaned back and stared at him with uncertainty in her eyes. “You mean… like…”

“ _Yes_.” Tracing little shapes against the skin of her thigh, Obi-Wan watched with amusement in his eyes as realization washed over Iza’s face. “Not to worry. We have rules in place. I’ve been careful to monitor how you react to me and to Anakin. I would have ceased any and all physical contact should you have rejected any of it. _Regardless_ of how your body feels about it.” His expression softened then, making him appear even more like his normal self. “I’m truly sorry if you feel like we’ve manipulated you, my dear. But—you do understand why we couldn’t simply ask you to pose as our bedmate, correct?”

“Some fucking warning would’ve been nice,” she wasn’t supposed to curse in front of him; Anakin had warned her. But as she reached for the second glass of whisky on the table, the last thing Iza had expected was for Obi-Wan to bring his hand up and smack her bared asscheek hard enough to bring attention to them with the sound. She covered her mouth far too late to stop the soft cry that followed and turned wide eyes to him.

“Watch your damn mouth,” he said it so casually. Like he hadn’t just spanked her in a room full of people. Picking up the glass, he side-eyed her with an almost dark look and knocked the whole thing back in one go.

“What do you need me for?” her breathing was becoming labored and she hated it. “Can’t the two of you do this by yourselves?”

“Afraid not.”

“ _Why?_ ”

“Because, _darling_ ,” he shifted in his seat, discreetly trying to adjust the snug-fitting leather pants. “Aside from providing us with a key we’ll need to access some very… _exclusive_ places, we needed the right bait.”

“Bait.” Iza echoed. “ _Bait?_ ”

“Don’t be upset,” a crooked finger stroked beneath her chin in a way that had her closing her eyes halfway and when he leaned in, Iza couldn’t stop the urge she had to try and meet him in the middle. There was a quirk of a brow from his end, and a light smirk twitched the neatly groomed ends of his mustache. His fingertip traced over her bottom lip and down her chin, a soft sound of satisfaction rumbling in his chest. “Are you sure you’ve never done this before?”

“I’m not a—”

“No,” he laughed and gestured around them. “ _This_ ,”

“I’ve only ever fought with my squad.” Hesitating to move since he seemed to love keeping her out of view of anyone else in the room, Iza tilted in his lap and brushed her hair to one side to show him the patch of hair where her Padawan braid used to be. It had grown out enough to become an eyesore whenever she had her hair pulled back, but it was a badge she wore with pride nonetheless. “I’m still new.”

“So you _are_ ,” blue eyes glittered in the light of the club as Obi-Wan raised a hand to run his fingers over the shorn bits of hair. “No wonder you have such a foul mouth. Spending all your time with Troopers.”

“I _enjoy_ it.” She didn’t know why she felt defensive all of a sudden, but it seemed to be the default whenever someone questioned why she spent so much time with The Stars.

“I’m sure you do,”

“It’s _not_ like that!”

“Come now,” he palmed her scarred cheek and affectionately brushed his thumb against the deep, jagged line. “There really is no need to get upset.”

Iza couldn’t help being huffy despite the tender touch. It was a sore spot for her when people—especially her fellow Jedi—felt it necessary to comment on her attachment to those Clones. She knew; she knew she wasn’t _supposed_ to hold onto any of them. Maybe they should’ve thought about that before they’d put her in charge of the lives of five men who’d _literally_ die for her at the drop of a hat. It made it very difficult not to cling to them.

The soft press of lips against hers pulled the anger from her chest and threw it off into a dark corner of the club like rubbish. She felt him moving her higher on him again and whimpered quietly, involuntarily squirming and letting out a soft rush of startled breath when he parted his lips and eased his tongue into her mouth. How did he do that? How did he soothe her whole being with a simple kiss like that? Not that there was _anything_ simple about how he kissed her. He tasted like whisky and a deep kind of repressed lust that made her worry for what would come later. Would she be expected to sleep with them? _Would she even be able to object?_ She trusted him when he told her that there were boundaries that he and Anakin stuck to, but—could _she_ keep to those boundaries?

The groan that sounded in her ears was low and deep and she felt it rumbling beneath her fingers, suddenly becoming very aware of the fact that she’d started running them over the bared patch of his chest. The smattering of curled hair that peeked through was surprisingly soft and she found that running her nails through it earned her deeper, more intense kisses that set her head spinning faster and threw more fuel onto the fire in her belly.

“You’re _dangerous_ ,” Obi-Wan growled when he broke away, fixing her with that predatory stare. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but a startled sort of expression crossed his features and he sat up suddenly, holding tight to her waist so she wouldn’t tumble out of his lap. Twisting, his eyes searched the crowd and he quickly nudged her up. “Go. He needs you.”

“What?” Iza was still reeling from that damn kiss. She wasn’t even sure her legs would work and he wanted her to go find Anakin?

“Darling,” he steadied her once she was on her feet and carefully brushed her mussed clothes back into place. “This is a partnership. You’ll need to work with both of us. And Anakin has… _a temper_. He needs you right now to keep that temper in check.”

Nodding in understanding, she took a breath and licked her lips before hesitantly slipping into the crowd. She followed that cold feeling she still had lingering in her lower back, hating how it seemed to get worse the closer she got to it. Spotting Anakin’s tall form settled on a stool at the bar, she followed his narrowed gaze to a booth where a group of men were laughing and playing some sort of card game. She couldn’t hear them over the noise of the music and the other people, but that wasn’t important right now. Honing in on her target, Iza wasted no time shamelessly slipping up between Anakin’s parted legs, pulling his attention from the table as she pressed herself flush against his chest.

“Hello,” tentatively, she ran her hands along his thighs and watched the way his eyes followed the movement. “What’s wrong?”

His mouth twitched like he wanted to smile but couldn’t quite make it happen. He barely seemed able to slide an arm around her waist before his eyes were wandering back over to the table. Well, _now_ what the hell was she supposed to do? Frowning at the fact that she hadn’t been able to permanently get his attention, Iza stepped up onto the bottom rung of the stool to push herself up into his line of sight. Her fingers brushed along the side of his neck and earned her another quick look and a raised brow, but still he looked away from her. _Okay, asshole_. With an indignant sort of huff, Iza moved up onto the next rung and straddled his lap, nestling up nice and tight against his pelvis with a wiggle of her hips.

 _That_ got his attention.

“What are you _doing?_ ” He breathed, the arm at her waist shifting lower to support her and keep her from sliding off.

“Don’t ignore me,” was that _her_ voice? Had that tone _really_ come out of her? “I asked you a question, Anakin. Or am I supposed to call you _Ben_ , too?”

He laughed at her, shaking his head before turning to pick up the glass he’d been drinking from. Offering it to her, he looked amused when she took a long sip and made a face at how strong it was. Yeah—he didn’t drink the weak shit his Master liked, that was for sure.

“You may continue to call me _Anakin_. Or _Ani_ , if it suits you.” Taking a drink from the glass, he hummed quietly as he looked her over and raised an eyebrow. “I take it he explained what’s happening?”

“He did,”

“And?”

Iza heaved a sigh, lowering her gaze to the front of his tunic. His bare skin had no hair to speak of, but was beautifully chiseled beneath the fabric. She could feel the definition of his abdomen against her belly if she leaned in close enough and the brunette faintly wondered what he might look like _without_ the shirt on.

“Like I said to him— _some fucking warning would’ve been nice_.”

“You swore at him?” That eyebrow nearly climbed up into his hairline.

“He _spanked_ me.” Iza could feel her cheeks heat and pursed her lips in a frustrated sort of pout.

This finally earned her the grin she’d been hoping to get from him and he looked a bit sympathetic. Boozy lips pressed to her cheek and he snickered quietly, setting his drink aside to run his hand along one of the thighs bracketing his waist.

“I’m sorry,” he sounded sincere. “But I _did_ warn you.”

“You didn’t say anything about him being so… _brutal_.”

“Did he hurt you?” Anakin’s features suddenly shifted as he searched her face, a frown replacing that attractive smile of his.

“No,” shaking her head hurriedly, Iza set restraining hands against his chest and found herself impressed by the strength there. For someone so lean, he certainly felt like something to be reckoned with. “No, it just startled me, is all.”

He stayed silent for a moment like he was feeling for a lie and he relaxed when he found no trace of one. Sighing, Anakin brought his gloved hand up to touch her face and gently pinched her chin between his fingers.

“You tell me if he does anything you don’t like. Obi-Wan can be…” he didn’t know how he wanted to phrase this. “ _Enthusiastic_. Since we started these missions, he’s grown a bit too fond of playing this role. Our last partner absolutely refuses to participate because of him.”

“I thought you were the one with the temper?” He seemed so damn mild-mannered, which was _funny_ considering how he’d behaved in the starship earlier. If anyone was going to act like an animal, she’d expect it to be him.

“I am,” he shifted his gaze with a guilty sort of nod. “But it’s different. Some of the things we see when we do this can be… It brings me back to a place in my head that I’d rather not be. The distraction helps.”

“How can I help?” Lightly tracing the neckline of his tunic, Iza tilted her head and watched the way his lips curved in a soft smile before he turned back to her.

“You’re doing a good job of it right now, honestly.” Leaning in, he rested his forehead to hers, shutting his eyes. “You could move a little to the left, though. You’re killing me, Iza.”

Letting out a laugh, the brunette wrapped her arms around his neck to use his shoulders as leverage, shifting on him the way he’d asked. The soft hiss he gave in response made her raise an eyebrow, but she didn’t ask. She really didn’t need to. After a few minutes of silence—and trying not to shiver at the way he kept stroking at the high point of her inner thigh—she opened her mouth to ask him something, only to have him silence her with a finger to her lips.

“I’m concentrating,” he murmured, opening his eyes to flick them in the direction of the table full of men. “No talking.”

“Can I—”

“You may do anything but speak.”

 _Okay, then_.

Waiting until he’d closed his eyes again, Iza brought her fingers up to his jaw and lifted his head, pulling him in to press a soft kiss to his lips. She just wanted to know the difference in how he tasted and if his kisses felt just as sinful as the ones his Master could give. It felt so _wrong_ to swap from one to the other so easily like this, but it was all part of the job. That’s what she needed to keep telling herself so she wouldn’t feel like such a harpy.

The sharp taste of alcohol on his tongue soon gave way to something smoky and _addicting_. He was a little more aggressive with his mouth, used a little too much tongue, but Iza wasn’t sure she hated that. She certainly didn’t hate the way he’d become impatiently grabby. The stark contrast between the soft petting that Obi-Wan had treated her to, and the hard drag of Anakin’s nails as he grasped at her thigh and pulled her even tighter against him was honestly _delightful_. She was going to have a difficult time getting to sleep tonight, that was for sure.

The heavy press of a chest against her back startled her and nearly made her bite down on Anakin’s lip, and Iza squeezed her legs against his waist when she felt the familiar scratch of a beard against her shoulder before teeth caught the shell of her ear.

“We need to leave,” Obi-Wan said gruffly, brushing Iza’s hair away from her neck to trail kisses down the side of it.

“Now?” Anakin broke away and shot his Master a look.

“These are not the men we—”

“ _Master_ ,” hissing through his teeth, Anakin scowled and his fingers bit deep into Iza’s hip without meaning to. “They’re running slaves. We can’t.”

“ _Anakin_ ,” Obi-Wan’s tone was sympathetic, but impatiently so. “That is not what we’re here for.”

Trapped between them, Iza couldn’t breathe. Someone’s fingers had found their way beneath the material of her dress and were teasing the underside of one of her breasts. The brutal way Anakin’s fingers were bruising her skin as his anger started to get the better of him made her whimper and squeeze his hips again.

“Oh, darling,” as if remembering that she was even there, Obi-Wan slid gentle fingers against the column of her throat and eased her back against his chest so he could look at her. “Anakin, I think you’re hurting her.”

The younger man’s fingers relaxed and he murmured a rough apology, his eyes fixed on the table just over Obi-Wan’s shoulder. He didn’t want to abandon this; he’d heard things that made his blood boil and his dinner churn in his stomach. Even Iza’s distraction hadn’t been enough to stem the need to walk over and beat each and every last one of them into a bloody mess.

“Track them,” Iza swallowed hard as she tried to catch her breath, so overwhelmed by everything that she didn’t even need to pretend that they’d worked her into such a flustered state. Reaching past Anakin for the glass he’d all but abandoned, she knocked back the strong alcohol and pressed the back of her hand to her mouth when it burned all the way down. “It can’t be that hard, right?”

“Iza,” it was Obi-Wan’s hand taunting the skin beneath her dress and it’d gotten bold enough to start moving higher. “This is not—”

“I’ll give you whatever you want.” It wasn’t a fair trade as much as it was a selfish one. “Anything at all. But don’t make him suffer. Don’t make… don’t make those people suffer.”

Obi-Wan looked taken aback by the offer, actually leaning away as if he didn’t quite understand why she’d make it. After a long moment, he sighed and dropped a kiss to her shoulder.

“Very well,” the hand inside of her dress retreated. “I suppose it won’t hurt to help.”

“I know where they’ve got a ship coming in,” Anakin said, keeping his eyes on Obi-Wan. His fingers had returned to lightly running over Iza’s thigh. “It arrives tomorrow evening. We can intercept it.”

“We’ll discuss details _later_ ,” shooting his partner a look, Obi-Wan jerked his head toward the door. “For now, we need to _go_.”

“You first.”

Rolling his eyes, the older man breathed a sigh and kissed the side of Iza’s head before pulling away to leave. Once he’d gotten far enough away, Anakin cupped her chin in his hand and leveled his gaze with hers.

“You did not need to do that,” she couldn’t tell if he was grateful or upset. “I could have handled this on my own— _without him_.”

“I’m sorry,” she wanted to lower her eyes but found that he wouldn’t let her. “I could feel how upset you were. I didn’t want it to get worse.”

Anakin looked like he wanted to continue scolding her, but only blew out a heavy breath and leaned in to kiss her gingerly.

“Thank you,”

“Of course,”

“You do not know what you’ve just done, do you?” Snorting, he carefully lifted her from his lap with a grunt and set her on her feet, waiting to make sure she could actually stand before he followed suit. Nudging her through the crowd with that possessive hand clamped down on her hip, he let out a quiet sort of laugh.

“I think I’ve made a trade.”

“ _Sweetness_ ,” pausing in the middle of the crowd, he turned her around and tipped her chin. “You’ve made a deal with a _demon_.”

Something about the way he said it made her shiver, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

“Will he help you?” She asked, folding her arms over her chest. “Will he hold up his end of the bargain?”

“Of course. He’s still Obi-Wan.”

“Then I’ve done exactly what I need to.”

“You don’t need to use yourself as a bargaining chip for my sake,” he looked frustrated, like he knew something she didn’t. To be fair—he probably knew _a lot_ of things that she didn’t about the man who’d be waiting for them outside. “Not that I don’t appreciate it.”

“This is what we do, Anakin,” shrugging, Iza gave a weak smile. “We help others. We keep the peace. Sometimes we have to do that among our own people. I am a _big girl_. I think I can handle him.”

The face he made suddenly shoved a great deal of doubt into her chest, but Iza wouldn’t let it show on her face.

“I hope so.” Giving her a little nudge, he fixed her with a gentle smile. “Come on. He’ll get irritated if we keep him waiting much longer.”


	2. A Wicked Temptation

“What the _hell_ are you wearing, Little Bit?”

“Keep your voice down,” Iza snapped to the holo-figure lighting up her room. Anakin and Obi-Wan had asked her to step out while they discussed the details of what they were going to do about the slaver ship—promising to let her in on them once a plan had been formed—and she figured it’d be a good time to check in with Catcher and the rest of the Stars.

Her Clone Commander looked more than just a little surprised as he stared at her from the other side of the call, one brow quirked as his eyes flicked up and down more times than she could count. Folding her arms over her chest, she tilted her head expectantly and cleared her throat.

“ _Catch_ ,”

“Sorry,” rubbing at his scarred chin, the man coughed and sucked at his teeth. “I got the information you sent and I’m not… I’m confused as to what you want me to do with it, sir.”

“I just want you to look into a few things, Catcher.”

“You know I don’t have access to that sort of information.”

“ _Rex does_.”

Opening his mouth, Catcher shut it again and let his shoulders sag, giving her a look.

“Don’t you remember what he said _last time_ about favors?” His eyes were wandering again and Iza had half a mind to start readjusting the way some of the material sat on her body. If it would get him to listen to her— _maybe she should_.

“I seem to recall him telling me that I could cash one in if I really needed it,” shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she tried not to smirk when she caught his eyes following her skirt as it slid across her thigh and exposed the skin beneath. “I _need_ this, Catch.”

“Starting to wonder what else it is you need, sweetheart,” blowing out a breath, he brought his eyes back up to meet hers and pursed his lips. “You’re enjoying the power already, aren’t you?”

“Power?”

He gestured at her and grinned wide.

“Tell me you don’t have those two panting like dogs, dressed like that.” Shaking his head, he shamelessly raked his eyes over her again and tutted quietly. “Wish they’d let me come with you.”

“Me too,”

A wicked sort of look crossed the Clone’s face and he appeared to sit down on the other end, popping off the panels of armor he wore and setting them aside out of view.

“That bad?”

“Which part?” She wondered if she should lock the door. Would they worry?

“ _You know which part, you wicked thing_.”

She couldn’t tell him. Their arrangement was strictly sexual, but Catcher was _dreadfully_ possessive and she didn’t want him trekking his way out here to tear the two men limb from limb. He’d already gotten himself in trouble for breaking the fingers of one of his brothers who’d dared to put a hand on her waist at 79’s. Killing a Jedi Master would get him terminated.

“ _Little Bit_ ,” He’d stripped down to his blacks without her realizing it, looking at her expectantly while waiting for an answer.

“Are you alone?” She asked, tilting her head as she brought her fingers to the waist of her dress.

Poking his tongue into his cheek, Catcher gave a slow nod.

“I am,”

“Will you help me?” There was that damn tone again. What the _fuck_ had those two done to her? She’d certainly broadened her sexual horizons thanks to the man in front of her, but she’d only ever been with _him_. Having Obi-Wan and Anakin touch and kiss her the way that they had seemed to have sparked something new inside of her and she had no idea what to do with it.

“Define _help_ , sweetheart.”

“ _Catcher_ ,”

“You’ve asked me to get your intel. You want me to go to Rex for a favor. And now you want help with something else,” he smiled like he knew damn well what she wanted but wasn’t going to cave until she said it. “You could be kind enough and _elaborate_ ,”

Reaching up behind her neck, Iza fiddled with the hooks holding the front of her dress up until they popped free. Dropping the material so it exposed her to his gaze, she moved her hands to her hips and began nudging the band of the skirt down—but only far enough to taunt him.

“How’s that for fucking elaborating?”

“Keep going,” he waved his hand at her, settling back in his seat as his other hand absently grabbed at his crotch. “I wanna know what you’ve got on under that.”

Shaking her head at him, she hooked her thumbs in the band and pushed it down the rest of the way, pursing her lips lightly at the sound he made when he realized she was bare beneath the skirt too.

“ _Maker_ ,” she wasn’t sure if it was the way he growled at her or the fact that he was blatantly stroking himself through his blacks that stirred the fire in her pelvis, but Iza knew he could see that her breathing had picked up. The quick lift of his brows and the almost goofy smile that followed was a testament to that. “Go on,”

“I’ve got nothing left, Catch,” turning her hands up, she let out a snort. “That’s it.”

“You want my help?” He asked, cocking his head to the side.

“Yes,”

“Put your fingers between your legs, sweetheart.” The rough purr in his voice made her squirm. “Close your eyes and do it the way you like _me_ to do it.”

“Standing?”

“Do you have somewhere you can sit?”

Looking around, Iza moved to grab the cushy chair from the corner of the room, dragging it over and planting herself in the middle of it.

“Bring those legs up,” he waved again, his other hand working itself beneath the waist of his blacks. A sly sort of smile lifted the corner of his lips and he tilted his head again. “If I’m going to help you, you’re going to help _me_ ,”

“I thought that was going to be the deal anyway?” Where the hell was she supposed to put her feet? It felt incredibly lewd to park them at the edge of the chair, but he’d put her in far more vulnerable positions. “You could at least let me _see_ ,”

“All right,” shifting around on the other side, Catcher pulled the lower half of the suit down over his hips and shot her a pointed look. “Better?”

“Much,” _Maker_ , she felt like such a pervert. It wasn’t like they’d never gotten off in front of each other before, but it felt different watching him from a holo-projection than when he was sitting in front of her for real. Her eyes followed when he wrapped his fingers around his cock and gave it an impatient squeeze, barely remembering that she was supposed to be participating as well.

“ _Iza_ ,”

“I know,” slipping her hand between her thighs, she felt a slight wave of shyness as she tentatively brushed the pads of her fingers over her flesh. _Holy **stars**_. She hadn’t realized how hot she’d gotten over the course of the evening. She jerked in the chair when her fingers passed over her clit, letting out a whimper that was a _little_ on the loud side. Covering her mouth with her free hand, she listened for the sound of footsteps and only heard Catcher’s low growling in her ears instead.

“Oh _sweetheart_ ,” he exhaled harshly through his nose, his eyes fixed on her fingers as he moved his hand along his length in slow passes. “ _Look at **you**._”

Dropping her hand away from her mouth to grab the arm of the chair, Iza pressed her lips together tightly and shut her eyes. Doing as he’d instructed before, she began to rub in the slow, strong sweeps he liked to use whenever they shared a bunk. It wasn’t quite the same due to the fact that her fingers were slimmer and didn’t have the same rough callouses, but it was still enough to have her dropping her head back against the chair as she squirmed under the touch. Already her thighs were starting to shake and she twisted on the cushion, mewling softly as her toes curled against the edge of the chair.

“ _Fuck me_ , Little Bit,” Catcher’s breathing was just as heavy as hers and his eyes blazed with a familiar sort of fire when she managed to open her eyes to look at him. “Already?”

“I can stop?” She offered, silently hoping he’d object. “I can wait for you?”

“ _Don’t you fucking **dare**._”

 _Thank the stars_.

“Go on, sweetheart,” biting down on his tongue, he jerked his head. “Keep going. _Show me_.”

Nodding, Iza moved her fingers further down and pressed them inside, cussing when her foot slipped off the edge of the chair and kicked the table her communicator sat on. Catcher’s amused chuckle was laced thick with arousal and when she looked at him again, he was shaking his head at her.

“Put your leg over the arm,” he gestured and watched her hesitate, offering a gentle smile. “Iza, _it’s me_ ,”

Right. She needed to remember that. It was just so _weird_ to do this over the stupid communicator. She found herself wishing that she could feel his presence and smell that intoxicating scent of caf and military issue soap. She wanted to taste his kiss and feel his skin on hers and that rough way he liked to toss her around the bed whenever they played together. _Maker_ , if she concentrated hard enough she could damn near replace the feeling of her fingers with his. She’d all but stopped caring about how hard she was breathing and how loud she was getting, far too caught up in what she was doing to control herself.

“ _Fuck_ ,” if she opened her eyes, she’d see Catcher leaning forward in his seat, stroking himself almost aggressively as he watched her. “That’s it, Little Bit. Be a good girl and—”

“ _Jedi Tacor!_ ”

Letting out a yell that would probably have the people in the next unit over alerting the front desk, Iza kicked the communicator off the table and damn near fell off of the chair. She was grateful that the hologram blinked out as soon as the disc hit the ground, but that wouldn’t help the fact that she’d been caught finger-fucking herself in front of her Commander.

“ _GET OUT!_ ” Picking up the nearest heavy thing she could find—which happened to be one of the sandals she’d been forced to wear—she threw it in Obi-Wan’s direction and tucked herself behind the chair as much as she could.

The older Jedi dodged the shoe easily and eyed her for a long moment before obliging and closing the door, leaving her absolutely fucking _mortified_. Not to mention pissed the hell off that she’d been interrupted _just_ as she’d been about to get off. Poor Catcher. He surely wouldn’t be happy about this. Scrambling to get out of the chair when she heard the trill of the communicator on the other side of the table, she picked it up and turned it on, frowning when he popped up fully clothed in his blacks again.

“Little Bit?” He looked concerned as hell. “What happened?”

“Obi-Wan happened,” sitting down on the chair, she pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead and grit her teeth. “ _Fuck_. What the _fuck_.”

“You… were getting loud.”

“Since when do you complain?”

“Sweetheart,” he shot her a pointed look and laughed. “Why don’t you call me back later? Use the private line and make sure you lock the door.”

“ _Fine_.”

“Hey,” his hologram reached out to her like he wanted to touch her face and Iza wished very much that she could take comfort in his touch in that moment. “Who are you?”

“General Jedi Tacor,”

“Mhm, and _what_ are you?”

“A wild, insatiable fucking nightmare according to you.”

“ _Iza_ ,”

“I’m a fucking soldier. I can handle anything and I don’t take shit from anyone. I can tear a commando droid apart with my bare hands and I’m not afraid to do the same to a grown man.” Licking her lips, she heaved a sigh. “I’m a _beast_.”

“Good girl,” kissing his fingers, he blew the kiss to her and winked. “Go on. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye.” Pouting when the image blinked out, Iza set the comm back on the table and whined miserably. She was going to have to go out there and deal with this before someone went ahead and said something and had her Squad taken away from her. Getting up from the chair, she grumbled once again over the fact that she hadn’t been able to satisfy herself before being interrupted and kicked the stupid thing over. _Asshole_. If it weren’t for the fact that she knew she’d be able to call Catcher back later, she’d probably be throwing things around the room. Shaking that thought out of her head, she went over to her bag to find something halfway decent to wear.

~*~*~*~

“I _told_ you not to go in there,” Anakin muttered, watching Obi-Wan sink into the couch with a sour look on his face. “You knew what she was doing.”

“I heard another voice,” the older man clenched his teeth and did what he could to push back his frustration. “I wanted to make sure she didn’t have someone else in there.”

“We would have _known_ , Master.”

“Do not sit there and pretend you’re okay with this.” Shooting an accusing glance at his partner, Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. “You forget that I can feel it when your moods shift. You were just as agitated as I am now.”

“But I had no intention of interrupting her.” No, Anakin had actually been quite content to just sit and _listen_. These stupid pants were extremely uncomfortable now, but it’d been well worth hearing the commotion she’d made in the other room. She was _loud_ for such a soft-spoken girl. “Who was it, anyway?”

“What?”

“She was on a comm call, wasn’t she?” He’d briefly seen the blue glow of a hologram when Obi-Wan first opened the door. “Who was it?”

“It… looked like a Clone to me.” Obi-Wan turned a hand up and shrugged. “I didn’t get a good look.”

The amused smile that spread across Anakin’s face was wide and thoughtful. He wondered for a moment if Rex knew anything about this. A second thought had him wondering if it was _Rex_ who’d been on the other side of the call. No, probably not. The blond wasn’t a prude, but he certainly wouldn’t put himself in that sort of situation with a Jedi General.

“You’ve got some fucking nerve, Kenobi,” Iza’s icy tone cut through the room as she joined them, slamming the door behind her. Oh—she did _not_ look happy at all. Her green eyes focused solely on the man sitting on the far corner of the couch, narrow and full of suppressed anger. “Don’t you know how to _knock?_ ”

Obi-Wan looked her over for a moment, appearing almost disappointed that she’d donned her Jedi robes and not one of the skimpy costumes she’d been given, and frowned hard at her.

“What did I say about your mouth?”

“ _Fuck. Off._ ”

“You understand that fraternizing with your Commander can get you removed from your position as a General, yes?” Tilting his head slightly, he shot her a challenging stare and watched the way she flinched.

Pressing her lips together tightly, Iza tried to keep her chest from heaving as panic set in and made a home for itself in her belly. Surely he wouldn’t turn her in? After all of the kissing and _inappropriate_ touching he’d done tonight, he wouldn’t have the gall to snitch to the Order about the things she and Catcher got up to.

“ _Master_ ,” Anakin sounded surprised and a little outraged as he got to his feet and started to cross the room over to where Iza stood.

“She deserves to know,”

“ _I **do** know!_” Jerking away from Anakin when he attempted to put his hands on her shoulders, the brunette ground her teeth and shifted her gaze to the floor. “We both know.”

“Then you understand how foolish it is—”

“Will you leave her alone?” Anakin snapped, standing in front of the shorter Jedi as if to protect her from Obi-Wan’s anger. “You’ve no right to scold her.”

“Who’s scolding?” That tone of his had turned downright _nasty_ and Iza was once again left to wonder if this was the same Obi-Wan she’d known for most of her life. She couldn’t say that they were close anymore, and she couldn’t say that she really _knew_ him like she once had—but she knew enough about him to know that this just wasn’t how he behaved.

“I couldn’t stand it anymore, all right?” She said finally, nudging Anakin out of the way so she could look the bastard in the eye again. “Is that what you want to hear? You two assholes worked me up so much that I could barely think. I needed _something_. Catcher is that _something_. There’s no… it isn’t what you think.”

“You could have just _asked_ ,” Obi-Wan had dropped the bitterness in his voice but didn’t seem to want to give up that narrow-eyed look just yet. “It isn’t like we didn’t know.”

“Why? So you can fight over which one of you gets to fuck me, too?” Letting out a laugh, Iza shook her head and threw her hands up. “You do realize you don’t _own_ me just because we’re playing this little game, right? I’m here on an assignment. I’m not your _toy_ , Kenobi.”

“You offered yourself to me,”

“ _In exchange for helping Anakin_.”

“I believe it still counts.”

“So you’re going to get twisted up in knots because I made a deal with you, and chose to get off with my Commander instead? You’re not going to entertain the possibility that I might want to take a little more time getting acquainted with you that way?” Heaving out a breath, Iza folded her arms over her chest and pulled herself up to her full height. “While I’m perfectly all right with letting the two of you _pet_ and _kiss_ me at your leisure, I would like the privilege of being _comfortable_ enough to sleep with you. I _know_ Catcher. I _trust_ Catcher. I’ve only ever—” she could feel her whole face going red and averted her eyes to the floor again. “—he’s the only one who knows me like that.”

The silence that fell over the room was thick and tense and it seemed as though nobody wanted to break it. Iza was so damn uncomfortable now that she had half a mind to just go back into her room and lock the door, but before she could turn to do so, Obi-Wan spoke.

“Forgive me,” he sounded disheartened and ashamed of himself. _Good_. “Perhaps I… let it go to my head.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Anakin muttered, shooting the other man a look when Obi-Wan jerked his head up to look at him. “This is why Aayla won’t come back and you know it.”

“Wait,” putting a hand on Anakin’s arm, Iza leaned around to look up at him. “Your last partner was Master Secura?”

“It was.” The younger Jedi nodded, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he let it out in a huff and turned a hand up. “Until Bly got involved. Then things changed.”

Iza had heard the rumors about Master Secura and her Commander. It was common talk among the Clones when they had nothing else to gossip about. Hell, it was half the reason she hadn’t been afraid to go to bed with Catcher. If a _Jedi Master_ could sleep with her first in command, why couldn’t she? Besides, she’d been curious and Catcher had been willing to help. There was an immense amount of trust between the two of them—but their love was purely platonic. That was something they’d agreed to never change. Feelings were left at the door, _period_.

“You told me—”

“I know what I told you, and it was the truth. But there are details that… are not anyone’s business, Iza.”

“I’m still sitting here,” Obi-Wan reminded them, raising a brow when both of the younger Jedi turned to look at him. “Listen, I _know_ what I did wrong, Anakin. There’s no reason to bring up the past. It’s not going to happen again.”

“If you continue on this way, it will.”

“I said I was sorry. I don’t know what else you want from me.” Blue eyes shifted between the two. “ _Either of you_.”

“Time,” Iza piped, interrupting Anakin before he had the chance to say anything else. “I want time to get comfortable. That’s all. And maybe a little _privacy?_ ”

Waving his hand, Obi-Wan nodded.

“You deserve that. I apologize. Sincerely.”

“Thank you,” Okay. She could stop being angry now. She was still going to be frustrated over the fact that she’d been unable to finish, but that would be taken care of later. Iza just wasn’t sure how much later that would be. She hoped Catcher would be awake.

“Come here, darling,” holding his hand out to her, Obi-Wan beckoned with a wave of his fingers and Iza half expected to be pulled to him with the Force again. Instead, it was Anakin’s hand against her lower back that had her moving across the room. Allowing herself to be pulled into the older Jedi’s lap, she tried to relax when he gathered her against his chest, involuntarily leaning into the touch of his hand on her cheek. The brush of his lips followed and she shut her eyes, resisting the urge to pull away. “I’m sorry. I know you’re still new to this. I’ll try to be more mindful.”

“You’re a bit of an asshole when you’re away from the Temple,” she muttered, half-worried he might turn her over and give another solid smack to her backside. “It’s like you’re not _you_.”

The warm huff of breath that followed his quiet laugh blew across her face and she felt him shrug before his fingers were moving stray bits of hair off her cheeks.

“I have a bit of a tendency to get carried away sometimes, I suppose.”

“ _Always_ , you mean.” Anakin chirped cheekily from where he’d sat himself down on the couch, a grin spreading across his face when both Iza and Obi-Wan looked over at him. “Don’t give me that look, Master. You know that I know you see these missions as a way to blow off steam. It’s fine. Nobody faults you. I think it’s the only way you’re able to maintain such a serene presence back on Coruscant, anyway.”

Obi-Wan made a disgruntled noise and Iza tilted her head to study him for a long moment, very nearly tearing her gaze away when he caught her staring. He said nothing, only raising a questioning brow in her direction. When she didn’t immediately say anything, he ran a crooked finger against the curve of her jaw and down along the side of her neck, causing her to inhale sharply in surprise when the sensation sparked her lust all over again. _How?_ Had he just used some trick on her that she didn’t know about? Was it something that could be taught—because that’d be fun to use on Catcher. Amusement bled into his features as he continued tracing soft lines all along her skin until she was fighting the urge to squirm in his lap again.

“You’re a fucking _fiend_ ,” Iza hissed when she was able to unstick her tongue from the roof of her mouth.

“And you need to learn to mind that mouth,” tapping his finger against her lips, Obi-Wan shifted his gaze to Anakin and raised an eyebrow. “You picked this one for a reason, didn’t you? You knew she’d push my buttons.”

“I did nothing of the sort.” Anakin looked the picture of innocence as he shrugged and turned a hand up. “Besides—Master Windu was the one who offered her up.”

This had Iza twisting to look back at the younger Jedi, eyes wide.

“ _What?_ ”

“In all fairness,” shifting closer on the couch so that he could reach out and brush gloved knuckles down the side of her face, Anakin smirked. “He was just about as aware of what would transpire as you were. We don’t discuss the private details of these jobs. For obvious reasons.”

“Because you use these jobs as…” she tried to find the right word that wouldn’t offend either one of them. “ _Opportunities?_ ”

“You’ve got us pinned all wrong,” Obi-Wan pulled her attention back to him with another brush of his fingers beneath her chin. “We are not lechers, my dear.”

“I believe that’s true of _him_ ,” pointing at Anakin, she didn’t even bother trying not to grin. “You, I’m on the fence about.”

Poking his tongue into his cheek, he shot her a look and snorted.

“We _are_ still here to do a job, Jedi Tacor. This is not a pleasure trip. Anakin and I are both aware of that and we hope you are too.”

“I did not sign on because I thought I was going to go to bed with the two of you.” Iza’s grin quickly became an indignant frown and she leaned away from him far enough to nearly slide off of his lap. “I wasn’t even going to take the job until someone said Ahsoka would have to take it. I didn’t like the idea of her having to parade herself around in the garments you’ve given me—and now that I know what I know, I _especially_ —”

“I would _never_ allow Ahsoka to accompany us on something like this,” Anakin sounded downright _insulted_ that Iza would even insinuate that he’d put his Padawan in this kind of situation. The look on his face was even more offended than his tone. “I certainly would never… She’s still a _child_.”

“I’m not accusing you of anything, Ani,” pulling herself off of Obi-Wan’s lap, Iza settled in the space between the two Jedi and tried to get the younger one to look at her. “I’m only trying to explain—”

“You know _he_ would never do it either, right?” Gesturing to his Master, Anakin frowned deeply and fixed her with a hard stare. “If you had passed on this job, we’d find someone else. Ahsoka was never at any risk of accompanying us.”

“That is _not_ what Master Windu told me.”

“Your Master isn’t always honest with you, darling,”

Iza was getting whiplash from having to look between them so much and now she was growing more concerned and confused on top of it. What the _hell_ did he mean by that? She knew that Master Windu could be a secretive sort of person; she’d always known that. But he’d always been honest with her— _hadn’t he?_ Shutting her eyes with a shake of her head, Iza ran her fingers through her hair and pushed out of her seat, batting away the hand that tried to pull her back.

“Don’t,” she mumbled, wanting to put a little space between herself and the pair. “Give me a damn minute.”

Both men remained silent while she tried to gather herself and her thoughts, watching her pace a small stretch of the carpet before she finally stopped and put her hands up.

“I think the point should be made that I was only told the bare minimum. Obi-Wan, I _told_ you this. I was thrown into it almost completely blind.” Looking between the two, she dropped her hands at her sides and continued, “I don’t know what sort of arrangement you had with Aayla when you were partners for this kind of thing. I don’t… I don’t _care._ My goal is to get this job done and go home so I can get back out onto the field where I belong. This… this is _not_ for me at all.”

“You would rather be _fighting_ and risking certain death on a battlefield? That’s not the Jedi way, Iza.” It was hard to tell whether Anakin was disappointed in her or not. His tone and his expression had suddenly become extremely difficult to read.

“That’s real rich coming from you,” folding her arms over her chest, she snorted. “You’re notorious for going against the things a Jedi ought to do. Don’t sit there and chastise me, Skywalker.”

“You are not a soldier—”

“I _am_ a soldier,” she snapped, straightening her back as her features hardened and turned her eyes cold. “I’m a damn good soldier, too.”

“Is that what he tells you?” Obi-Wan asked softly, pulling her attention towards him. “Your Commander. Does he feed you lines like that to keep you in his bed?”

Iza scoffed out a laugh and smiled at him bitterly.

“It’s awful bold of you to assume that _he’s_ the one who keeps me anywhere. He’s **_my_** Commander for a reason, Master Kenobi. And I promise you—it has nothing to do with whether or not he was _assigned_ to me.” Shooting him a haughty sort of look, she rolled her shoulder in a shrug. “He _wasn’t_. I _took_ him.”

Anakin’s expression shifted, lips turning up in an impressed smirk as he eyed her and then glanced over at Obi-Wan. The older Jedi looked a little less enthused, but he could tell that his Master was suppressing his true feelings on the matter. These two were going to do this _a lot_ ; they were too damn similar in their behaviors. Iza could be as soft and content as a domestic cat one moment, then wicked and vicious the next. The same could be said for Obi-Wan, under the right conditions. Like throwing starship fuel onto a burning fire, these two. It was actually quite attractive.

“Took him?” Obi-Wan looked skeptical. “And just _how_ did you manage that?”

“His General abandoned him.” Oh, that look in her eye spelled trouble. “Left him for dead. What kind of _filthy_ excuse for a Jedi leaves a man to die?” A fine muscle worked in her jaw before Iza shut her eyes and forced herself to calm down. “They hadn’t even Knighted me yet. I was with Master Windu when we found him. I made him my responsibility and he’s been _mine_ ever since.”

Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged a look. The younger of the two inclined his head slightly and got a roll of the eyes in return.

“You won’t take him from me,” Iza’s warning tone had them both looking back at her in surprise. “If Master Windu can’t pry him from me, the two of you sure as hell won’t.”

“Nobody is going to take your Commander, Iza,” Anakin assured her, putting his hands up in defense. “I already gathered that he meant a great deal to you when you told me about how you got your scar.”

“I ripped the bucket of bolts apart with my fingers, Anakin,” she was grinding her teeth again. “I’m _not_ afraid to do it to a person.”

“ _Enough_ ,” Obi-Wan’s tone was enough to cut through Iza’s irritation like a knife, and he gave her such a look that she felt like she didn’t have much choice but to back down a little. “Mind yourself, Jedi.”

Right. She did have a bad habit of getting riled up when it came to Catcher, didn’t she? Even when Master Windu was the one to make comments or ask questions, she’d grow agitated and often throw herself out of a balanced state without meaning to. She’d like to say that she couldn’t help it—and sometimes, she _couldn’t_. He was her best friend and he counted on her for so much. In turn, she trusted him with her whole life. How could she _not_ become consumed by such overwhelming feelings like this?

“I’m sorry,” shaking her head, the brunette turned like she was going to head back into her room when she felt that light tug below her navel again and found herself rooted to the spot.

“Wait,” Anakin got to his feet and crossed over to her, appearing to hesitate before lifting a hand to palm her cheek. “We were not trying to upset you.”

“Does _he_ know that?”

“Iza,” Anakin bit down on his bottom lip for a brief moment and sighed heavily. The hand on her face slipped up into her hair and urged her to tilt her head up while he leaned in to press a light kiss to her lips. “Please. I know we’ve made ourselves look like fools, but I promise that we are not monsters. We want the same things as you. We want the job done.”

“What else do you want, Anakin? What else are you expecting to gain from this?” She wouldn’t lean away from the hand in her hair, but Iza wasn’t above giving him a look that had his features softening into something that looked a lot like _guilt_. “I’ve traded myself to him for you. _What do **you** want?_”

“You don’t want the answer to that, darling,” Obi-Wan said gently from his spot on the couch.

“ _Quiet_.” No, she probably shouldn’t have snapped at him like that. But she wasn’t speaking to _him_. She was speaking to Anakin and Anakin _only_. As if to further make that point, she brought her hands up and rested them against the sides of the younger man’s face, almost forcing him to keep his focus on her and nothing else in the room. A brow went up when she noticed how his body seemed to go a bit lax and lean down towards her even more, the hand in her hair sliding to the back of her neck while the other lightly brushed over her hip. Keeping her gaze steady with his, Iza tried again, “What do you want, Anakin?”

It took about three seconds for her to realize that Obi-Wan’s words had been more of a warning than anything. Iza had been expecting the taller Jedi to simply _tell_ her what he wanted; what she got was a pair of strong hands lifting her clean off her feet and her back shoved up against the wall as a hard chest pinned her there. Rough hands grasped the backs of her thighs and urged her to wrap her legs around a slender waist before finding and tearing away the belt keeping the layers of her robes in place. He hadn’t tried to kiss her yet—which she thought was odd—but Anakin held her gaze with such startling determination that Iza felt it was almost _more_ intimate than any kiss could ever be. A low growl resonated in his throat when she traced shaky fingers over his neck and Iza gasped out loud when he pressed forward and put more of his weight into her, his forehead resting against hers while his heavy breaths gusted over her cheeks.

“ _Anakin_ ,” Obi-Wan’s voice was still as gentle as ever, but it startled Iza nevertheless. In the few moments that had passed, she’d all but forgotten he was even in the room. “ _Ask first_.”

“She asked _me_ ,” oh _damn_. The rumbling growl in his voice made her belly shiver and Iza nearly said something about the man not needing to ask her a damn thing. In fact, if he kept up with this aggressive behavior, she’d be more than happy to comply with anything he wanted from her.

“ _Anakin_ ,”

Giving an irritated roll of his pretty eyes, the taller Jedi leaned back—much to Iza’s dismay—and cupped her chin.

“May I finish what he started?”

Oh _Maker_.

Squirming against the wall with a hard exhale of breath, Iza nodded and lightly squeezed her thighs against his hips.

“Is that what you want?” Since they were doing the whole _permission_ thing—

“It will do for now.” Tentatively, Anakin ran his fingers down the side of Iza’s neck and let a wild sort of grin spread across his lips when she tilted her head back and gave his hand a light tap. At first, he wasn’t sure he _should_. Obi-Wan had a tendency to get grumpy with him when he played a little too rough while in his presence. But if the rapid fluctuations in Iza’s emotions were anything to go by, she was perfectly fine with being roughed up. Carefully resting his palm against her throat, he stroked his thumb along her pulse and found the right point to press down, letting his fingers squeeze _just_ enough to make her squirm on him again. She surprised him a bit when she tapped his knuckles again and gave a beckoning wave of her fingers, green eyes practically challenging him to tighten his grip. Again, he hesitated until he felt the soft vibration of a whine against his palm. _Okay then_.

“ _Anakin_ ,”

“ _What?!_ ” Easing up his hold, the younger man twisted to address his Master and hissed when Iza’s nails raked painfully down his back in protest. Looking back at her, he was met with a hard kiss full of urgency and lots of tiny bites to his lips and chin. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the way she pulled at him at first, but the way she was whimpering at him was quite pleasant to listen to. He wanted more of _that_ ; more of the needy sounds and soft pleading.

“He’s not here,” her voice was rough in his ear when she leaned in to kiss the bare skin exposed by the neckline of his tunic. “Fucking _ignore him_ , Anakin.”

“You’ll thank me for interrupting, darling,”

“I’ll tear your beard out if you do it again,” glaring at him over Anakin’s shoulder, Iza clutched at the younger man’s back and gently sank her teeth into the dip between his shoulder and throat. “I’m… a big girl. I know what I like.”

“I told you,” Obi-Wan was _smiling_ like a fucking bastard. The smugness in the expression made her damn blood boil. “He’s got a temper.”

“Not like **mine** , he doesn’t.”

“That remains to be seen.”

Iza was going to lose it. She was going to blow her damn lid and attack the older Jedi like a feral animal and the only thing standing in her way was the body pinning her to the wall. She probably would have squirmed her way out from under him if he hadn’t suddenly found a spot on her neck to drag his tongue across and bite into. Fisting her hands in the material of his tunic, she pulled at it and shifted her legs against his hips, wanting to squeeze while simultaneously wanting to stretch them out. Cussing loudly, Iza whined at him again and dug her bare heels against his lower back.

“ _Ani_ ,” Iza didn’t like the desperation in her voice. “Fuck’s sake— _please_ ,”

“Please? Please what?” He was smiling, wasn’t he? The little bastard was smiling as he kissed his way along her neck and pushed her robes away from her clavicle.

“You’re _awful_ ,” swallowing hard against the dryness in her throat, the brunette dragged her nails up the back of his neck and twisted her fingers in his hair. “I thought you wanted to finish—”

“I changed my mind.” Pulling back to look at her, he confirmed her suspicions of a smile. She didn’t care for how similar it looked to the one Obi-Wan still wore as he watched them from the couch, his cheek propped against his knuckles.

“Put me down,” she breathed, dropping her hands from his hair.

This surprised him and he tilted his head curiously, his brows knitting together lightly.

“What?”

“ _Put. Me. **Down**._”

Reluctantly, he obliged, waiting for her to unhook her legs from around his waist before he set her back on her feet. Grunting when she pushed him off of her, Anakin took a few steps back and reached for her as she bent to pick her belt up from where he’d dropped it.

“Iza—”

“I don’t want to play games,” _man_ , she was pissed. He supposed he’d be a bit edgy if there were constant interruptions and a little too much teasing, but he was used to this. That was just how this worked. “The two of you can fuck yourselves. _Goodnight_.”

“Darling—”

“I’m _going_ to call Catcher,” whirling, she pointed at Obi-Wan and narrowed her eyes. “I’m going to call him and I’m going to get what I need. Stay the fuck out of my room.”

And then she was storming into the little room they’d given her and the soft _click_ of the locking mechanism being activated rang out, putting an end to the conversation for the evening. Staring at the door for a long moment, Anakin ran a hand through his hair and blew out a frustrated breath before turning and giving his Master a look.

“Don’t,” Obi-Wan pointed at him, knowing full well what the man was about to say. “That was not my fault.”

“Of course it was! This isn’t the first time you and your incessant need to talk me down has killed the mood!”

“The two of you would have hurt each other,” the older man frowned. “I was simply trying to prevent that.”

“Maybe she _wanted_ that.” Throwing his hands out, Anakin propped them on his hips and scowled. “You’re mad she wouldn’t let you have her first, aren’t you? It’s _always_ like this with you!”

“That’s absurd, Anakin. I would never force her hand like that and you know it.”

“But you’d piss her off until she ran away from both of us? What kind of strategy is _that_?”

“Anakin, there is no _strategy_ to what we do!” Giving his partner an annoyed look, Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and got to his feet. “It’s _her_ decision to make.”

“And she would have made one if you’d been less of a bastard.”

“I seem to recall her getting upset that you were taking too long, my dear friend.” Crossing to where a bottle of whisky sat on a counter, Obi-Wan poured himself a small amount and knocked it back in one go.

“Maybe if you’d left the room—”

Anakin paused when the sound of muffled, heavy moaning sounded from the next room. Both men turned their attention to the locked door and fell completely silent, listening in as Iza murmured her bliss to the hologram of her Commander and let out soft cries. There was a thump and a wave of giggles and deep male laughter before the belly-burning sounds of pleasure started up again.

A quiet growl rumbled in Anakin’s throat and he turned to stalk away from the door, crossing over to where Obi-Wan stood. The whisky wasn’t what he wanted, but it would do. He splashed a little too much of it into his cup, earning a raised eyebrow that he blatantly ignored, and did his best to just sip at the foul liquid. He didn’t need to be told that he needed to _mind himself_. He fucking knew. He knew and he was _trying_ , but every time he heard her calling out to that damn Clone—pleading like he had somehow crawled out of the transmission and right inside of _her_ —the urge to pitch the glass against the wall got stronger.

“We mustn’t interfere, Anakin,” Obi-Wan’s voice was tense and rough; he sounded like he was having just as much difficulty keeping a grip on his jealousy as Anakin was. “It will only drive her further away.”

“I can’t listen to this.” The younger Jedi said finally, all but slamming the glass down on the counter as he headed for the door. “I’m going to scout the shipyard.”

“Would you like me to go with you?”

Eyeing his partner, the taller man gave a light nod.

“I think that’d be best, Master.”

“Very well.” Obi-Wan’s blue eyes shifted to the door again when Iza’s voice began to rise in pitch, her cries becoming more and more frantic. “Let’s go before this gets any worse.”


	3. How Do I Fake it With Another Man?

Iza was painfully aware of how empty the hostel was as she lay on her bed, unable to sleep. She and Catcher had ended their comm call about an hour ago—after he’d helped her get off a good _handful_ of times—and she hadn’t been able to fall asleep ever since. She hadn’t felt the two Jedi leave, and she wondered if _she_ had caused enough of a problem for them to get fed up and walk out. Admittedly, she felt a little bad about having stormed off the way she did; Anakin really hadn’t deserved that. But she’d just been so damn impatient and _needy_ that she wasn’t in the mood for games. She supposed that he couldn’t be blamed for not knowing, either. He didn’t know her well enough to read her the way Catcher could, so _of course_ he was going to take her squirming and fussing as just a reaction to what he’d been doing.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was a fucking _menace_.

What kind of partner interrupted the entire time like that? If their arrangement was what it seemed to be, shouldn’t he have been _encouraging_ Anakin instead of grumbling at him every time he did something that wasn’t Vanilla, but that Iza wasn’t objecting to? Sure, she understood that he’d just been trying to help. But his _help_ had put a sense of rage in her that was hard to tamp down and she’d been lucky enough that Catcher was awake enough to help. Poor man. He’d seemed tired when he answered the call, but had been more than willing to continue what they’d started earlier in the evening. She’d have to treat him to a few of his favorite things when she got back to Coruscant.

Grumbling when she realized she wasn’t going to get sleep anytime soon, Iza rolled out of bed and picked up the tunic she wore beneath her robes from off the floor. Her panties would do well enough to cover her lower half; she had no desire to put those damn trousers on right now. Unlocking and opening the door, she peered out and found that the room was indeed empty. Where the hell had they gone? She saw no trace that a message had been left for her, just a half finished glass of whisky and the open bottle left on the counter. Frowning, she wandered over to pick it up and give it a light sniff. It was a little stronger than what she’d been given at the bar; maybe it could help her to get to sleep.

Grabbing the bottle as well, Iza went over to the couch and sat down, taking careful sips of the burning liquid while mulling over what might have transpired while she’d been in the other room. Maybe they’d gone to get some fresh air because they couldn’t handle listening to her? She’d noticed on the starship that Anakin appeared to have a bit of a jealous streak in him. If that death stare he’d given her when she’d ogled Master Kenobi was anything to go by, he’d probably been on the verge of throwing a tantrum while she was getting off with Catcher. But why would Obi-Wan leave? Aside from the fact that the pair always seemed to be together, he _had_ felt like the calmer one. But he also appeared to serve as Anakin’s handler. If the younger Jedi was going to storm out into the night in a foul mood, it’d probably been best for Obi-Wan to follow.

Sighing as she finished off what was in the glass, Iza took to drinking straight from the bottle the way she was used to, steadily growing more and more intoxicated. Soon, she became very aware of a presence in the hallway. Instinct told her to get up and grab her lightsaber, but the damn thing was all the way in the other room, buried under her clothes. She’d also been stupid enough to shut the door behind her and wasn’t sure she’d be able to call it to her quickly enough. A second presence joined the one just outside the door and she heard a soft scraping sound before the door slid open. Readying herself to throw the half-empty bottle of whisky at the intruders, Iza felt a wave of relief wash over her when Anakin’s tall form wandered into view.

“What are you doing?” He asked, looking mildly amused to see her holding the bottle over her head.

“You _scared_ me!” Lowering her arm, she gestured at them and huffed, taking another quick pop. “Where the hell did you go?”

“Business matters, darling,” Obi-Wan eyed her before coming over to lean over the back of the couch, a soft smile lifting the corner of his lips. “That was expensive, you know,”

“I’ll buy you another bottle,” making a face at him, Iza had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She’d lifted the bottle to her mouth again when the older Jedi tutted and reached out to gingerly take it from her, causing her to pout. “ _Really?_ ”

“I believe you’ve had enough.” Holding it up to see what was left, he let out a snort. “This was _full_ , Iza.”

“I like to drink.” Shrugging, she looked up when she felt Anakin lean up against the back of the couch behind her. That amused smile had grown wider and she could see his eyes trailing down the length of her legs before coming back to meet her gaze again. “Hello,”

“ _Hi_ ,” he chuckled, tentatively brushing hair away from her face. “You’re drunk.”

“Not drunk. _Buzzed_ , maybe.”

“Have you ever been taught to suppress that?”

“Of course,” tilting her head back until it rested against his abdomen, Iza gave another light shrug of her shoulders. “I don’t _want_ to.”

“You’re responsible for her,” Obi-Wan wagged a finger in Anakin’s direction as he took the bottle back over to the counter to put the cap back on it. He had every intention of stashing it somewhere so that the younger woman wouldn’t end up drinking the rest of it. “If you’re going to flirt with her while she’s like that, she’s _your_ problem when she gets out of hand.”

“I’m _sore_ , thank you,” Iza muttered, reaching up to take hold of the fingers Anakin was using to play with her hair. “I’ll behave.”

Anakin’s smile dimmed and he started to pull away, but Iza held tight to his fingers and tugged at him.

“Where are you going?”

“I—”

“Come lay down with me,” nodding to the empty bit of space beside her, Iza pouted lightly and brought his fingers to her mouth to brush her lips against them. “I can’t sleep.”

Looking conflicted, Anakin shifted his gaze to Obi-Wan, who waved a hand at him. The exchange didn’t go unnoticed by the brunette, but she wasn’t going to say anything about it either. These two seemed to have their own private language and she supposed she’d just have to get used to it. Smiling when the taller man scrubbed his free hand through his hair and walked around the couch to settle next to her, she scooted over to make room and was quick to nestle against his chest once he’d gotten comfortable. He felt unbearably tense stretched out alongside her, even when she’d started running her fingers over that exposed patch of skin again. Somewhere behind them she heard Obi-Wan announce that he was going to turn in for the night, then heard the slide of his door opening and closing. When she was sure he’d left, she shifted higher beside Anakin and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

“Talk to me,” she whispered, turning over onto her belly. She heard him grunt when she slid her thigh between both of his legs and felt him clamp a hand down on her hip to keep her from moving around any further. “Anakin?”

“I thought you wanted to sleep?” Turning his head to look at her, he raised an eyebrow.

Pushing herself upright, Iza blinked against a wave of dizziness and frowned at him.

“Are you angry with me?”

“Not angry, no.”

“But you’re disappointed,” tilting her head, she bit back a snicker when her hair fell over her shoulder and hit him in the face. Brushing it out of the way, she pursed her lips to keep from smiling and got a half-smirk from him.

“Listen,” moving to sit up, he pulled her onto his lap and idly stroked a thumb against the top of her bare thigh. “I want to concentrate on the mission. _I want to_. But you’re making it increasingly difficult, sweetness. For _both_ of us.”

“It’s been a day,” she laughed quietly, noting that Anakin didn’t look quite as amused. “…you’re serious?”

“It isn’t often we’re paired with someone as shameless as you.”

“It isn’t often that I get the chance to _be_ shameless in front of other Jedi, Anakin.” Waving a hand, she turned it up and shrugged. “Why do you think I spend my time with my squad? They don’t judge me for wanting to have the same freedoms as a normal person.”

“I feel like they’ve corrupted you.”

“I’m not _corrupted_ , Anakin.” Frowning, she narrowed her eyes. “Just as _you_ are not corrupted for wanting to do things _your_ way.”

“Tell that to Master Obi-Wan and the rest of the Council,”

“I will. _Happily_.”

“You _are_ drunk,” waving his finger at her, he gave her a look. “You know better. Your Master would throw a fit if you did something like that.”

“Master Windu can eat gundark dung.”

“ _Iza!_ ” Anakin couldn’t stop the laugh that burst out of him. He’d always known her to be very respectful of her Master; she’d tailed after him loyally as a Padawan and was quick to defend him when other young Jedi had rude things to say. It was quite amusing to hear her say such a thing, if not a little startling.

“If what Obi-Wan says is true about him being dishonest with me,” she had to take a second when a light wave of nausea washed over her. Perhaps she _had_ drank a bit too much of that whisky. “Then I’m allowed to say such things.”

“Even still,” he eyed her warily, having noticed the pause. Anakin really didn’t want to have her get sick—especially not while she was sitting in his lap. “Would you like something to drink— _water_ , perhaps?”

“I think food would be more appropriate.”

“We don’t have much,” they’d brought the typical rations, but hadn’t had time to visit the market before going straight out to the club. “Do you have a preference?”

“Do we have any protein cubes? Those are usually good when I’ve had a little too much to drink.” It would keep her from developing a hangover in the morning, too.

“I think so,” raising a brow, he gave a soft smile and a nudge. “You’ll have to move.”

“Right.” Sliding off of his lap, Iza sank into the couch and watched him get up to go root through the bag of food they’d brought with them. When he’d retrieved a packet of the desired rations—as well as a bottle of water—he came back over and held them both out. Iza took them with a quiet _thank you_ and waited for him to reclaim his seat before she made any attempt to open any of it. Honestly, she’d grown so used to the taste of the stupid little gelatinous squares that eating them was second nature by this point, so when she caught the way Anakin stared at her as she shoved two of them into her mouth she paused and raised an eyebrow, grunting at him. “What?”

“Do you always eat them like that?” He laughed at her, gesturing. “You know they’re meant to be eaten as portions, right?”

She blinked at him and then shrugged, chewing.

“It’s easier to eat them two at a time. Gets it into you faster, and you don’t spend forever choking them down so you can get back to what you’re doing.”

“You’re aware you’re not on the battlefield?”

“It’s habit.” Cracking the bottle of water open, Iza took a few long swallows and then set it aside. Yeah, that would probably do for now. Looking back up at Anakin, she tilted her head and hummed quietly in thought, earning a raised brow in return.

“I don’t know how I feel about that look.” He said, leaning back in his seat.

“Where are you meant to be sleeping?” This hostel only had two bedrooms and they’d given her one of them. She was pretty sure the other only had _one_ bed. Iza wouldn’t judge if Master and Apprentice shared; it wouldn’t be the first time she’d seen it.

“I was going to take the couch, actually. Master Obi-Wan and I intended on rotating until we leave.”

Lightly sucking her bottom lip into her mouth, Iza nodded her head towards her room and gave the tiniest of shrugs.

“You can share my bed, if you want.”

Making a face like he was trying _very_ hard not to smile, Anakin studied her for a long moment before drawing in a deep breath through clenched teeth.

“I’m not entirely sure that’s a good idea.”

“You were willing to lie down with me out here. Why not in there?”

He didn’t say anything. He just sort of looked down at his hands for a while until Iza nudged his knee and brought him out of his thoughts—whatever the hell they happened to be.

“Anakin?”

“I think it would be best for me to stay here,” he murmured flatly, all traces of that earlier smile gone from his features.

Clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Iza huffed and moved to pick up the packet of protein cubes and the bottle of water, getting to her feet.

“Fine.” Righting herself when she stumbled over her own damn legs, the brunette half expected to be pulled back and was honestly a tad surprised when he just let her go. _Okay then_. She wouldn’t make the mistake of offering again. Moving to open the door, she barely had time to register the sound of the couch creaking before he was stepping up behind her, pressing into her back and trailing his hands over her hips.

“Is it really _that_ important that I share a bed with you?” He asked quietly, twisting the hem of her tunic between his fingertips. “Or are you asking for something else?”

“I told you,” leaning into him, Iza tilted her head back to look up at him. “ _I’m_ sore. I’m not trying to play tricks.” After a moment, she pressed more weight back onto him and offered a light smile, “But if there’s something I can do for you…”

“Tempting as that is,” he looked almost regretful as he let go of the material of her top and went back to tracing the curves of her hips. “You _are_ still intoxicated. I will take your offer for sharing the bed tonight, but I think it’d be best if we kept anything else to a minimum.”

“Are you going to sleep in those pants?” Tapping the panel to open the door, Iza stepped inside and nudged aside the bits of clothing she’d left on the floor with her foot.

“Actually, no.” Laughing, he followed after her. “They’re not very comfortable to begin with.”

“Then you won’t mind if I don’t put _my_ pants back on?”

“I wasn’t expecting you to.” Shrugging, Anakin watched as the brunette set her bag of ration cubes and the bottle of water down on the table in the center of the room, his eyes drifting to the communicator beside them. For a moment, he felt a tight twinge of anger in his gut that only worsened as he continued surveying the setup of the chair she’d positioned directly in front of it. There were damn _scratch marks_ in the leather and he noticed that the wall behind the table had a small dent near one of the corners.

“Don’t,” her soft voice startled him back to a reasonable sense of normalcy. “Anakin, don’t.”

Looking back at her, the taller Jedi found Iza watching him with an unreadable look in her eye. If he searched hard enough, he could make out the feelings of embarrassment and something that felt like annoyance swirling around in her. Okay; he got it. She’d asked for her privacy and she deserved it. Getting mad about the private things she chose to do with her Commander wouldn’t do anyone any good, and he really had no right to do so anyway. Offering an apologetic smile, he tried not to look sheepish and cleared his throat, moving to get his belt undone so he could set it aside.

“Any preference for what side you want?” He asked, unsure if he ought to work on getting the pants off yet.

“I have to sleep against the wall.” Iza turned a hand up and crawled onto the bed, separating the pillows and taking up her desired spot. “I’m too used to sleeping in pod bunks. Regular beds give me anxiety.”

“Really?” Tugging his tunic off over his head, Anakin draped it over the back of the chair and worked on getting his boots off next, still hesitating when it came to the pants. “How do you sleep at the Temple?”

“I don’t,” smiling tightly, she really tried to keep her eyes above shoulder level— _she did_. But the memory of his lean, muscled frame pressed up against her had her so damn curious that she eventually dropped her gaze and wished she hadn’t. It was unfair for him to look like _that_. Really, it was. _How_ could he be built the way that he was and still manage to have more lines chiseled into him than Catcher? How much damn physical training did he _do?_ Knowing full well she was going to get caught staring the second he started working to get his dumb pants undone, Iza half threw herself down onto the bed and turned so her back faced him. _Nope_. If she couldn’t see it, it wasn’t there.

“You don’t sleep?” He’d seen her. Of course he’d seen her. Iza was terrible about being discreet.

“Not well, no.”

“Are you the one Rex is always complaining about?” Snorting as he set the pants aside, Anakin carefully crawled onto the bed behind her, leaving enough space between them to keep it as casual as possible. He didn’t trust his body enough to get much closer.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Iza wouldn’t question why he hadn’t immediately drawn her into his arms. If Anakin wasn’t a cuddler, then he wasn’t a cuddler.

“I’ve been told there’s a Jedi General who prefers to stay at the barracks. Is that you?”

“Might be.” Twisting to look at him, she raised an eyebrow. “I don’t do anything I’m not supposed to. It’s just easier to sleep there.”

Frowning lightly, Anakin reached out and finally pulled her back against him, resting his head against hers with a quiet sigh.

“What will you do when the war is over? The barracks won’t be there forever.”

“You sound like—never mind.” Shaking her head, she nestled back into him and tugged the blankets up, giving a tiny smile at the kiss he placed on her shoulder. “Get some sleep. I have a bad feeling the two of you are early risers and I most certainly _am not._ ”

Anakin had his moments when he knew he needed to shut up. Now was one of them. Nodding, he gave another kiss to her shoulder and gently squeezed her middle in a silent apology, nuzzling his face into her hair as he closed his eyes and settled down to sleep.

~*~*~*~

“You’re not serious?”

Ten days had already gone by. Ten days, one successful retrieval of a shipload of women who’d been intended to be sold to an underground slave market, and _several_ different visits to nightclubs and other areas where this supposed _spice runner_ was apparently known to loiter. Ten days and Iza already felt like she was losing her damn mind. She hadn’t been allowed to call Catcher since the fourth night—whoever had taken him out for active duty would be getting a fucking earful once she was back on Coruscant—and while she was steadily finding herself growing a little more comfortable in Anakin’s presence, Obi-Wan continued to grate against every last nerve ending she had.

“I’m very serious, darling,” looking at her over the mug of caf in his hand, the older man settled back in his seat and rubbed at his chin. “You and I will need to leave soon.”

“What about Anakin?”

“He’s staying here. He has to monitor—”

“What if I don’t want to go?”

Obi-Wan paused mid-sip and raised an eyebrow at her, giving a curious sort of look before lowering his mug to the table and resting his elbows on the surface. Steepling his fingers together, he pointed a joined pair at her and fixed her with a hard stare.

“ _You_ are the key, Iza.”

“So why can’t _he_ accompany me instead?” Folding her arms over her chest, Iza hated herself for pouting so much. But she didn’t like this; she didn’t like the idea that she and Obi-Wan would be running off together to another part of the planet while Anakin stayed behind. It just didn’t feel right to her. How was she expected to sleep now that she’d gotten used to having him beside her?

Closing his eyes with a sigh, Obi-Wan looked as though he wanted to tear his hair out. Taking a minute to ground himself so he _wouldn’t_ do that, he glanced back at her and shook his head.

“Because he has his own duties to tend to.” Hesitating, he added, “You and I will need to appear as a _pair_ at this point, Iza. It can’t look as though we share you.”

“Why does it have to be _you?_ ” She shouldn’t have said it so nastily and she knew it, but the brunette was still having such a hard time warming up to him outside of when they had to play Pretend that she couldn’t help it.

“Because Anakin is not of the right age group to be parading you around where I’m going to take you.” If he was bothered by her tone, he didn’t show it. “Where we are going… it’s best he stay behind for _everyone’s_ sake.”

She didn’t like that. She didn’t like that _at all_. Iza had learned quickly that Anakin’s temper didn’t only apply to slave runners and his own strange feelings of jealousy; he didn’t like to _see_ certain things and she’d been made to witness Obi-Wan talking him down when they’d visited a club where some of the other _pets_ wore visible signs of abuse and neglect. He’d been so angry that night that he hadn’t wanted to share the bed at all and had taken up a spot on the floor instead, claiming that he needed space to _think_. What a strange way to say that he was afraid he’d inadvertently project his anger onto her. As if Iza couldn’t handle herself.

“Okay,” what was she supposed to do? Arguing against him any further wouldn’t solve anything and she wasn’t going to keep insisting and drag Anakin into a situation that would only make him uncomfortable. Clearly Obi-Wan knew what was best for his partner; they’d been doing this for a long time, after all. _She_ was the one who had to learn the ropes and get a good feel for everything. But that didn’t mean she had to like the idea of leaving him behind, and it didn’t mean she had to like knowing that wherever Obi-Wan was taking her, _it wasn’t going to be nice._

“You will only need to bring your cloak and lightsaber. I have a bag ready for you with what you will wear.”

“ _You_ picked something?”

“My dear,” finishing off the caf in his mug, the older Jedi got to his feet to put it in the sink and shot her an impatient look. “I come prepared. If it’s any comfort, you will have your chance to wear boots instead of those awful sandals you love complaining about.”

“Do I at least get to say _goodbye_ to him?” She didn’t know why it felt important to not just let Obi-Wan skirt her away without a word to Anakin, but Iza _really_ didn’t want to go anywhere until she’d seen him.

One of those strange, curious looks crossed the elder Jedi’s face again and he stared at her for a long time before nodding slowly. Waving a hand towards the main room of their rented home, he gave his silent permission for her to leave and frowned when she pushed her chair back and left without any hesitation at all.

Iza found Anakin in the room they shared sitting on the bed and fiddling with something. He looked up when she came in and offered a small smile.

“Have you and Obi-Wan finished your conversation?” Turning the communicator disc over in his hands, he held it out to her and tried not to look sheepish. “I haven’t done anything with it, I promise. I knocked it off the table. I just wanted to make sure I hadn’t damaged it.”

Looking it over briefly, she set it aside and sat down next to him, propping her chin on his shoulder. When she didn’t immediately say anything, Anakin slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, that smile on his lips widening a fraction.

“You have nothing to worry about,” his fingers brushed along the swell of her hip and he tilted his head to rest it against hers. “He’ll be kind to you.”

“Not like you,” it felt _mean_ to say it, but Iza had learned quickly which of the two she favored and it wasn’t Obi-Wan. “You never said we’d have to separate.”

“He does not wish for me to go, and there is a lot for me to do here. Someone has to stay behind.”

“That’s not fair,” her arms went around his middle before she pressed her face to his shoulder, letting out a soft huff. “You shouldn’t have—”

“It was my choice, Iza,” long fingers played in the ends of her hair, eventually coming up to nudge her back so he could look her in the eye. “After what happened the other night, I don’t think it’d be safe for you if I went.”

“Where is he taking me, Ani?” Leaning into the fingers that brushed along her cheek, Iza bit into her bottom lip worriedly. “What sort of place am I expected to go _now?_ ”

“I don’t know all of the details. He just told me that it was the kind of place that would bring out _that_ side of me in a bad way.”

“And you trust him to take me there?” She hadn’t meant to pull on him or sound as upset as she did, but Iza was honestly a little on edge about this. The club they’d gone to had been _obscure_ —for lack of a better term—but still relatively tame despite how Anakin had reacted to the way some of the patrons treated their companions. If Obi-Wan planned to take her somewhere he knew would make the younger Jedi turn feral, would she be _safe?_

The warmth of his hand covered her cheek and drew her closer as soft lips sealed over hers in a gentle kiss intended to calm her. What it did was spark her anxiety and stir the stupid butterflies that had been sleeping peacefully in her belly. She’d wanted to avoid this; she’d wanted to be able to say her goodbyes without worrying about whether or not she’d miss him while she was gone. But as that fluttery feeling soared up into her chest and Anakin nudged his way into her mouth with his tongue, Iza pulled harder at his tunic and whined at him. Damn her stupid breathing for betraying her. She might’ve been able to get away with just the noise if she hadn’t drawn in such a choppy breath afterward.

“Hey,” he sounded concerned as he pulled her onto his lap, cradling the back of her head in his palm as he leaned back to look at her. “What’s this about?”

“I don’t want to,” shaking her head, she brought her hands up to cover her face. “Anakin, I don’t _want_ to.”

“Sweetness,” leaning in, he kissed her forehead and left his lips lingering against her skin, sighing into her hair. “You’ll be safe with him. I trust him with my life, and I trust him with _yours_.”

“He’s not the same when we’re alone and you know it.”

“He is _still_ Master Obi-Wan,” Anakin insisted, curling his fingers around the back of her neck. “His wicked behavior does not change that.”

“ _You’re_ not the one on the other end of it.”

“Iza,” pulling back again to look at her, the younger Jedi ran the pad of his thumb over her chin and searched her gaze for a moment before raising a curious brow. “What’s really going on?”

“I don’t want to leave you.” She’d barely been able to whisper it. Her whole body rejected the idea of letting her say it, if only because everything she’d had ingrained in her since she was a child was meant to lead her _away_ from feelings like this. She couldn’t even bring herself to feel this way about Catcher, and he was one of the most important people in her entire life. Anakin drove her absolutely fucking _nuts_ —he’d pissed her off since they were Padawans together—but the last few days of bonding had _done_ something to her and honestly, she was a little terrified of what that **something** might be.

The look in his blue eyes was hard to read, but at least he hadn’t pushed her away in disgust. She supposed she could celebrate that little victory. But when a sad sort of softness began to creep into his features, she felt the butterflies in her belly start to drop and die one by one until she was left with a cold, empty sort of ache in their place. His kiss tasted different when he brought her in again, though his lips were just as gentle as ever.

“You must,” his smile seemed strained but neutral, his emotions completely cut off from her when she tried to reach out and get a feel for what he might be thinking. It was like feeling through static while blindfolded; he was scrambling the signal from her Force abilities and shielding her eyes at the same time.

“Anakin,”

“He’s going to start calling for you,” giving her a nudge, he helped her to stand and got to his feet shortly after. “You can’t keep him waiting. You know how he gets by now.”

“ _Anakin!_ ” Taking hold of his sleeve, she pulled at him and jumped when he turned and grasped both of her shoulders in his hands. The grip was disturbingly gentle, even if the look in his eyes was not. He seemed to silently be battling with himself over something before he dipped his head and stole a rough, needy kiss and let his forehead come to rest against hers once he’d pulled away.

“You’ll make this harder on both of us if you don’t go _now_.” Clenching his teeth, he shut his eyes and took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. “I will be here when you return. If you must, you can comm me, but Iza—” straightening, he glanced toward the door and then back at her, holding his finger up like what he was saying was damn important. “He must _not_ know. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” she nodded slowly, leaning up like she fully intended to kiss him only to have Anakin pull back completely. “An—”

“Go,” raking his fingers through his hair, he turned away from her and waved towards the door. “Please. Before I change my mind.”

She stared at his back for a long, painful moment and tried to steel herself against the wave of upsetting emotion that followed. Tears were not an option right now; she had to get the hell out of here and she had to act as naturally as possible about it. Going to get her cloak and lightsaber from the closet, Iza snatched her communicator disc from where she’d tossed it and gave him one more look.

“Don’t do anything stupid while we’re gone.”

He laughed. The sound eased some of the ache in her chest.

“ _Bye_ , sweetness,”

“Bye, Ani.”

~*~*~*~

“You’re fidgeting,” Obi-Wan’s lips twisted in a frown as he reached over and gave a tap to Iza’s hands. “Stop,”

“Don’t fucking touch me,” muttering out of the corner of her mouth, Iza shifted away from him and let out a soft hiss when he hooked his finger in the ring dangling from the collar fastened around her throat to give it a firm tug. Fixing him with a look, she turned away just as quickly and leaned away from him.

“What have I told you?” His blue eyes seemed to darken with his tone, his impatience showing through as he nudged her down the walkpath leading into a very shady looking area of the city they’d traveled to. “Mind your mouth.”

“Do that again and you’ll be the one having to worry about their mouth.”

“What is this attitude, Iza? You’ve been extremely disagreeable since we left. Surely you’re not _that_ upset about leaving Anakin behind?”

“Forgive me _Master_ ,” her tone was sickly sweet, though the look in her eye was downright _nasty_. “But I find your choice in attire for me to be rather… _distasteful_.”

Iza hadn’t even known that such a garment existed until Obi-Wan presented her with what could only be described as a glorified bodysuit made of mesh. It covered _nothing_ and displayed _everything_ she preferred to save for the eyes of someone who deserved to see it. And here he was, parading her around the city in it. He’d allowed her the modesty of a cloak until they’d reached a certain point, and now she’d been made to walk with it draped over her arm instead. And the collar— _oh_ the stupid collar. He’d slipped it on while they were still at the hotel, warning her that he’d be using it to lead her around the establishment they’d be visiting that evening. It wasn’t very tight but if he tugged at it one more time, she was going to tear it off and strangle him with it. Vaguely, she wondered if this was the reason he’d made Anakin stay behind. The sithspit about how they could not be seen as a three-person arrangement had become painfully clear to her as they got closer to the place and she saw more girls like her being led around by _multiple_ partners.

He’d lied to her.

He’d be lucky if she didn’t tell Anakin about it, too. _Or Catcher_. Or her Master, for that matter. Iza didn’t know how she was supposed to act like his loyal little pet when she was so damn uncomfortable. It might be easier once he slipped into character—it usually was—but right now, all she could think about was giving him a solid kick to the groin in the high boots he’d given her to wear and running back to change clothes.

“I assure you, you will not be the only one dressed this way.” He’d placed his hand on her lower back, sinking his fingers into the flesh lightly as if warning her not to move away. “You should consider yourself lucky you were given clothing at all, darling.”

“You better get me drunk, Kenobi,”

“I will give you what I feel you deserve. Continue to misbehave and you’ll get nothing but handprints across that pretty ass of yours.”

She flinched and turned to look at him, eyes flicking over his face. Had he just _cussed_ at her? Mister _Mind Your Mouth?_ And had he threatened her on top of it? _Why_ did that put such a hot feeling in her belly?

“Don’t give me that look.” He continued facing forward, adjusting his clothes and giving his hair a quick tousle. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, the tiniest of smirks made his mustache twitch. “Showtime, darling. Be a good girl for me.”

She _hated_ that his tone made her shiver. _How the **fuck** did he do that?_ How did he manage to piss her off one minute and then send her skyrocketing into arousal the next? What a bastard. What an absolute fucking _prick_. Lifting her chin when he reached to take hold of the collar again, Iza did her best not to look indignant as he pulled her into a dark, seedy looking building that pulsed with loud Heavy Isotope. The beat of the music seemed to vibe with her entire body and sent an odd feeling through her, making her want to move along with it even though she really didn’t know how to dance. Her eyes surveyed the room as Obi-Wan pulled her along behind him and she had to force herself to keep from staring.

Nude female bodies crawled over their companions without shame in some of the booths while others stood atop tables, swaying to the music the way she longed to. Several of the patrons had male pets in their laps and _some_ of the patrons were females with other females. Others were genderless but enjoying the sin all the same. _Where had he taken her?_ She didn’t get the chance to ask when she was suddenly pulled belly down onto his lap, legs bracketing his widespread thighs and displaying her for the whole room to see.

“ _Ob— **Ben**._” Shifting to move up on him and spare herself _some_ modesty, she gasped sharply at the fierce tug to the collar and the rough press of lips against her mouth that followed.

“Move again,” he warned, biting her bottom lip, “And I will pass you off to the first person who offers the highest credit bid. _Understood?_ ”

She nodded, clamping her mouth shut so he wouldn’t detect how much her breathing had picked up.

“Say _yes sir_.”

“Yes sir,”

“Good girl,” smiling, he hummed and trailed a finger down her cheek, leaning in again to seal his lips over hers in one of those stupidly dizzying kisses she was weak for. Growling low, Iza pressed forward into it, careful not to let her body move for fear that he’d stay true to his threat. She could feel him smiling against her lips as she lured his tongue into her mouth and sucked at it lightly—something she’d learned he _really_ seemed to enjoy—and felt his hands skim down over the curve of her back to grasp palmfuls of her ass. He shifted under her, readjusting enough before pushing his hips up and exhaling harshly into her mouth. “ _Good girl_ ,”

As wrong as it felt to allow this to happen in such a public place, and as pissed off as she’d been to be dragged here, Iza couldn’t help admitting that she didn’t _hate_ it. She was getting so sick of using her fucking hands to get off—especially when she’d been sleeping next to Anakin for over a week without a single damn incident between them—that she was desperate enough at this point to give into Obi-Wan and his pervert ways. Besides, if the hard ridge he kept pressing up against her was anything to go by, it might just be well worth it to cave in.

All but yelling when he pulled away from her, Iza felt like smacking him when he grinned and simply stroked the underside of her chin.

“Patience, darling,” he purred, giving her backside a playful tap. “We’re going to be here for a while.”

 _Right_. They were on assignment. They were doing… _something_. Once again, he’d neglected to fill her in on more than just the bare minimum of details. Doing her best to steady her breathing, she dropped her head against his shoulder and let out a soft gasp when he turned her over onto her back, draping her across his chest and settling his hands on her torso. He said nothing as he stroked her belly in soft passes, resting his chin on her shoulder as he surveyed the room.

“You’re shaking,” he observed quietly, lightly tracing circles around her navel.

How did she tell him that the eyes of the strangers in the room were making her nervous? She could see exactly _where_ they were staring and it made her wish he’d let her close her damn legs even just a little.

“They’re staring,” she whispered back, getting a chuckle in return.

“So they are,” his fingers brushed lower and her knees twitched like they wanted to slam shut but Iza caught herself and leaned her head against his.

“I’m sorry.” Her panicked apology sounded weak. Obi-Wan only turned and brushed his lips against her cheek.

“Do you remember what we discussed?” He asked, his tone sounding more like his normal self than the bastard that had been there before. “Remember the system, Iza.”

“ _Ne’tra_.” She choked out, scrambling to remember the damn Mando’a color system they’d worked out for this stupid assignment. _Black_ was the stopping point. She could recall that much for the moment.

“Okay darling,” his hand retreated to her waist and encouraged her to turn over again, the other coming up to cup her face and lightly stroke her cheek. He didn’t apologize verbally and his eyes certainly didn’t _look_ sorry, but Iza could feel it in his touch. Half expecting him to go back to discreetly rutting against her, the brunette was surprised when he gave her thigh a nudge to get her to move it. “Why don’t you take my seat and I’ll go get something for your nerves, hm?”

“Yes sir,” rolling off of him, Iza was given another deep kiss before Obi-Wan got to his feet. She watched as he blatantly readjusted the front of his pants and shot her a wicked smirk, tutting lightly before giving her chin a pinch.

“ _Stay_.” He pointed and smiled playfully before wandering off, leaving her sitting alone on the soft cushion. She didn’t know where he thought she was going to go, or who she might go there with, but Iza had no plans to leave this spot.

Nope. She was going to sit right here and wait for him to come back like a _good girl_. And she was going to ignore that distinct, cold pressure at the base of her spine that signaled something was _off_. The whole fucking place was a heathen pit; of course there’d be something here that set her Force senses tingling in a bad way. Anakin had explained to her that part of the reason _she_ had been tapped was because she’d be able to sense new disturbances that they’d grown used to. Small-time shit that typically turned out to be something as low grade as a black market smuggler or the table full of slave runners; things that only _fresher_ Knights had a tendency to still sense.

That pressure got worse just before a gloved hand brushed along her shoulder and up the side of her neck. Flinching, Iza turned to find a tall, _pale_ skinned man with blazing red eyes and thin lips standing over her. He studied her for a moment before easing a long leg over the back of the cushy seat she rested upon to settle beside her.

“Hello,” he drawled in a thickly accented voice, reaching his hand out again to stroke the underside of her chin. “Have you been _abandoned?_ ”

“No,” flinching away, Iza started to move away to put some space between them when he snatched her by the collar at her throat. He smiled wide as he pulled her back, choking her lightly in the process. “He’ll be back soon.”

“I don’t think he’ll mind.” Those eerie red eyes looked her over, lingering on her breasts before he reached his free hand out to attempt to touch one.

“ _Stop_ ,” smacking his hand away, Iza crossed her arms over her chest and gagged noisily when he twisted the collar with his fingers and pulled harder.

“Do not be _rude_.” He hissed through sharp teeth, going to make a grab for her again. Iza’s vision was slowly getting foggier as she struggled to breathe through the tight clasp of the collar around her throat, but she was afraid to move. She could easily overpower him and she knew it—but not here. She’d been warned not to give herself away when they were out at _any_ of these places. Surely Obi-Wan would allow an exception for this? Shutting her eyes as the brush of soft leather touched her skin, she clenched her teeth against the urge to scream.

Where the _fuck_ was Obi-Wan?


	4. Guys My Age Don't Know How

The sound of a lightsaber igniting had Iza’s eyes shooting open. She’d been expecting the blue glow of Obi-Wan’s plasma blade, so the sight of a bright red one startled the hell out of her. She couldn’t see the figure behind the man before her as they held the blade beneath his chin, but the deep, feminine voice that poured into her ears over the music made something in her chest _purr_.

“I believe she told you to _stop_.” The blade shifted and the man’s hands fell away, hovering in the air as a sign of surrender.

“Is…” he swallowed thickly. “Is this—”

“She’s **mine**. _Get up._ ” The lightsaber powered down and the man got to his feet like he’d been shot, turning around and sputtering about a thousand apologies. Some of them weren’t in Basic—or in any language Iza had ever heard before—and he bowed a few times before backing away and eventually hurrying out of the room.

Now that she was able to breathe and the blackness had left her vision, Iza looked up to see a very striking looking woman standing just behind the chair. She was _tall_ , tattooed, and slender—with just the _right_ amount of curve, she realized. There was no hair on her head that Iza could see but it only added to her exotic appearance and the young Jedi felt a wave of something warm fill her belly when she turned ice-blue eyes to her and huffed out an irritated breath.

“Where is your Master, little one?” Delicate looking fingers came out to slip beneath the collar Iza wore, rubbing the sore skin there and making that warmth worse. _Oh, **Maker**._ Iza could feel Force energy radiating off of the other woman—but it was darker. It would have to be for her to produce a red saber like that. Shaking herself out of the slight daze, Iza swallowed and straightened.

“Ben…”

Lush lips quirked in a soft smirk as a hairless brow lifted and Iza almost purred out loud when the woman palmed the underside of her chin, still soothing the bruised ring around her throat.

“I asked _where_ , pet. Not _who_.”

“Drinks.” She blinked a few times, finding that she was unable to look away completely. Had she ever seen such a gorgeous woman before? It wasn’t as though she’d never _noticed_ other girls, but Iza couldn’t recall ever being so mesmerized by one before. She was so strikingly beautiful that it almost hurt and she just _oozed_ a sense of danger that Iza found far too attractive for her own good. Leaning further into the touch of those slim fingers—noting that they were definitely stronger than they looked—she watched a grin split the other woman’s lips to show a row of pretty, white teeth; the dangerous thought of what those teeth might feel like dragging over her skin ran through her head and almost had her squirming in her spot.

“ _Asajj_ ,”

Both women turned to see Obi-Wan standing with two drinks in his hand, looking a bit grumpy. While she didn’t immediately pull her hand away, the other woman did seem to tense at the sight of the Jedi. Looking between the two, she pulled her fingers out from beneath the collar—much to Iza’s blatant dismay—and gestured to her before folding her arms over her chest.

“Is this yours, Kenobi?” She didn’t sound pleased to see him. She didn’t _look_ pleased to see him, either. Did they know each other?

“She is,” giving her an almost dirty look, Obi-Wan came over to take his seat back, holding Iza’s drink out to her and frowning when she didn’t take it. “Darling?”

“You should be more careful,” the woman behind the chair snapped, catching his attention again. “Leaving her on her own in a place like this? She could get hurt.”

“Thank you for the advice, Ventress.” He gave her a bitter smile and then went back to trying to get Iza’s attention, noticing that she seemed more focused on the other woman. “Iza?”

“Hm?” Turning dazed eyes to him, she raised an eyebrow and heard the woman give an amused chuckle. The back of the chair dipped as Ventress propped her chin on her arms and shot Obi-Wan a look.

“Is she available for Play?”

“Not to you.”

“And why not?” Narrowing her eyes, the other woman frowned. “She’d likely be dead on the floor from asphyxiation if I hadn’t been here.”

“I appreciate that you stepped in, Asajj. It was very _kind_ of you—all things considered.” Taking a sip of his drink, Obi-Wan didn’t seem to want to spare her even the smallest of glances. “But Iza is _not_ up for trade. We’re working.”

The taller woman leaned back, looking a bit startled.

“She’s a _Jedi?_ ” Turning her gaze back to the girl, she ran her light blue eyes over Iza’s figure and whistled quietly through her teeth. “I wasn’t aware you’d traded in your Twi’lek.”

“Is there something you want? Compensation for your trouble, perhaps?” Finally turning to glare at her, Obi-Wan shoved a hand into his pocket and produced a handful of credits, tossing them in Ventress’ direction. “ _Take it_.”

“ _Master_ ,” Iza knew she’d likely face _some_ sort of punishment for speaking out against him, but that felt uncalled for. She didn’t know what sort of history these two had and frankly, she didn’t care. It was no excuse for him to be rude to someone who’d gone out of their way to help her when they _clearly_ didn’t have to.

“It’s all right, little one,” those soft fingers trailed up the back of her neck and sent shivers straight to her belly. “Your _Ben_ does not like to share.”

“Not with Sith scum like _you_.”

 _That’s_ what that feeling was. The strange sense of danger she felt around Ventress was Sith energy.

“You _wound_ me, Kenobi.” With a roll of her eyes, Ventress straightened and sighed. “Fine. Do take care to mind your pet next time. These heathens don’t know the meaning of the word _stop_.”

Opening her mouth as the other woman turned to leave, Iza shut it when she caught Obi-Wan scowling at her. Pressing her lips together tightly, she had about two nanoseconds to make a decision that would probably spell trouble for her later.

 ** _Fuck it_**.

Reaching out, she would have brushed her fingers against the other woman’s arm to stop her had Ventress not gotten there first. Long fingers caught her hand mid-grab and brought her fingertips up to meet warm, soft lips. Their eyes met and she was treated to a smile that was neither sweet nor sinister, but made her body burn _deliciously_ all the same. Sharp nails dragged gently along the skin of her wrist and Iza let out a soft, needy sound that made Ventress’ eyes light up.

“Mind your Master, little one,” she said softly, that deep voice of hers sending little tingles over Iza’s scalp. “If you’re a good girl, maybe he’ll let us play together.”

Nodding slowly, Iza all but melted into the cushion when her fingers were kissed again and tried not to pout when she was released, her eyes following the other woman until she disappeared into the darkness of the club.

“Are you all right?” Obi-Wan’s tone was still tense, but at least there was _some_ amount of concern there.

Finally tearing her eyes away from where Ventress had wandered, Iza looked back at him and took the drink he held out to her.

“Yes,” her throat didn’t hurt so much anymore where the collar had bitten into it, but she had a funny feeling that was Ventress’ doing. Taking a sip of whatever the glowing green booze was in her glass, the brunette wrinkled her nose at its sickly sweet taste and tried not to gag.

“You stay away from her,” the elder Jedi warned, blue eyes darkening with that hard look he tended to give before he gave his dumb lectures. “Asajj Ventress is not someone to get yourself mixed up with.”

“Is she really—”

“She’s Count Dooku’s protégé.” He took a long drink of the whisky in his glass and growled quietly when it appeared to go down the wrong way. “She’s very _dangerous_ , Iza.”

“Why would she help me, then?”

“Hell if I know,” looking her over as if assessing the damage that had been done, Obi-Wan raised a hand to lift Iza’s chin and inspect her throat. “What vile creature…?”

“He _choked_ me with this stupid thing,” again, Iza felt that urge to rip the thick leather away from her neck. “He told me not to be _rude_ and tried to help himself to me. What sort of place have you brought me to?”

The look in Obi-Wan’s eyes softened then and he tutted softly, sliding his hand into her hair before leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead.

“I’m sorry, darling,” he murmured. “I did not think you’d be in danger. Most of these animals have enough respect to keep their hands off a Pet with a collar.”

“She _saved_ me,” Iza whispered, idly running her fingers around the rim of her glass. “She didn’t have to. No one else in here gave a damn.”

“Iza,” tilting his head to look at her, his expression became serious once more. “Please listen to me. I understand the allure of that woman— _I do_. But it is not worth the risk.”

“ _Please?_ ” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud. She certainly hadn’t meant to sound so damn desperate, either. “I won’t tell Anakin.”

Obi-Wan looked very much like he was trying to suppress a smile. As if _Anakin_ was the one who’d have the issue with Iza playing around with that woman. No—the poor boy would have his moment of fury and then likely be so overcome with lust at the idea of _watching_ that he’d forget the little fact of Ventress belonging to the wrong side of the fight. Giving a small shake of his head, he gave an apologetic sort of look and kissed her forehead again.

“I’m sorry,” at least he sounded like it this time. “But I cannot allow it.”

“ _You’ve_ had her,” Iza didn’t even know if her accusation was correct but she had a very distinct feeling that the toxic tension between the two had less to do with Ventress being a Sith and **more** with the possibility that they had a _history_. “Why can’t I?”

“Iza,” the fingers in her hair were tightening, the only outward sign of him losing his patience. “Have you ever been with another woman before?”

“No.”

“Are you sure you’re even _attracted_ to her?”

What sort of question was that? Of course she was sure! … _wasn’t she?_

“I sense doubt,” _oh, fuck off_. “I believe that your body was still feeling the effects—”

“It’s quite offensive of you to _assume_ anything about me and how I feel— _for anyone_. Shame on you, Master.”

 _Okay_ —she had a point. He needed to reel in whatever this was before he said anything else that upset her. As it was, they were drawing the attention of other patrons. Some were giving him questioning looks, too; like they wanted to know why he hadn’t struck her down for her mouth yet. If he’d prepared her for that sort of thing—he might’ve. But Anakin would throw an absolute _fit_ if he brought her back with any sort of bruising that wasn’t consensual. As much as he could throw himself into this character, he didn’t know how he’d be able to sleep tonight if he actually put hands on her like some of these bastards did with their companions. But—he _did_ need to save face in here.

The fingers in her hair tightened to a near-painful grip, making Iza gasp and tilt her head back in an attempt to get him to loosen it. She stared at him with wide eyes as he narrowed his blue ones at her and pulled her in until his lips brushed her ear.

“I apologize, Iza,” he kept his tone as gentle as he could and he could feel the confusion starting to stir in her energy. “It’s not my place to assume anything about who you’re attracted to. _But I said **no**._”

“ _Ne’tra_.” Iza growled, glaring at him from the corner of her eye.

“Iza, that’s not—” No, he couldn’t argue with her. They’d set the boundaries in place for a reason. If she didn’t want him to touch her, he wouldn’t touch her. Loosening his grip, he slipped his fingers from her hair and set his hand back in his lap, watching her suck her drink down in one go. He wished she hadn’t done that; the alcohol in that cocktail was deceptively strong, despite the sweetness. She’d likely turn into a fucking handful the way she usually did when she tapped into the whisky. He had to fight the urge to frown when she pulled away from him and curled up on a corner of the chair they shared, looking so put out that it made a twinge of guilt twist in his gut. He wanted to sigh. He hadn’t lied when he said he understood the allure of Asajj Ventress; he also hadn’t lied when he told her she was _dangerous_ to associate with.

A Jedi this young and fresh in Knighthood wouldn’t stand a chance against her influence. Iza already seemed to struggle with herself at times and he felt that her time out on the battlefield had a lot to do with that. Asajj would tell her things— _show_ her things—that a girl so in tune with her aggressive side did not need to know. Master Windu had done well with her in showing her the ways of channeling her negativity into a more _positive_ and _peaceful_ sense of being, but he couldn’t help but notice how often she fluctuated in and out of that balanced state. Not to mention the fact that Iza likely wouldn’t have a single clue what to do with that woman. Ventress was _not_ the kind of partner to take for a trial run. He knew from experience.

Still, he couldn’t help feeling guilty about how _upset_ she looked. It wasn’t enough to change his mind, of course, but it made him set his drink aside and reach a hesitant hand out. Lightly brushing his knuckles down her arm, he waited for her to smack him away and was relieved when she simply ignored him. It was better than being swatted—especially in here. The longer he stroked her skin, the more she seemed to relax until he was able to slowly curl his fingers around her arm and urge her to move closer to him.

“Come here, darling,” he said quietly, wondering if she could even hear him over the music. Apparently, she could. Iza sighed visibly and turned to crawl over to him, taking up her usual spot against his side with her cheek nestled against his shoulder. The way she snuggled into him made him wonder if the alcohol had wormed its way into her faster than he’d expected it to. He questioned this again when she shifted on him and pressed herself against his hip, bringing a leg up to drape it across his lap. Out of habit, he rested his hand on her thigh and stroked his fingers along the back of it, smirking faintly when she whined and squirmed on him. “Ticklish?”

“Just there,” and only when he used such a soft touch.

“Perhaps,” sliding his fingers higher, he kept his eyes on her face as he got closer to the warmth between her legs, shamelessly toying with the bodysuit’s elastic until she shivered and pressed her face to his shoulder. “ _Here_ is better?”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” she knew she wasn’t supposed to say his real name, but it’d just slipped out. And she’d said it so quietly that she doubted anyone but the two of them could hear it. Half expecting him to halt what he was doing to give her a good smack across the ass, Iza braced herself for a blow that never came. Instead, she got a low chuckle and a kiss dropped to her shoulder.

“ _Yes?_ ” He’d slipped his fingers beneath the fabric, making her jump and attempt to squeeze her legs closed at the touch.

“ _Not here_ ,” she pleaded, fighting the urge she had to swat him away. “I don’t want—”

“I would prefer an audience.” His teeth grazed her shoulder before he started kissing his way to her neck.

Iza wanted to throw out that stupid color again. The idea of letting a room full of strangers watch him get her off was unnerving. It was one thing when he groped and kissed and flirted with her, or if he played these sorts of games in front of Anakin. But these were filth-brained lechers who were only here for one thing and she hadn’t consented to letting them watch.

“I want you alone.” She swallowed thickly, whining into his shoulder again when he found a spot on her neck that he liked and bit down.

“ _You_ said **anything** _I_ wanted…”

“I wanna be able to say _your_ name, Master,” _good, yes_. Thinking on her toes helped. “I’ll be a good girl. I promise.”

He hissed against the side of her neck—sounding very much like he wanted to swear—and withdrew his hand from the bodysuit. He was not above giving her one of those strong smacks to her ass, however, and he let out a satisfied noise when she moaned in his ear and gave a hearty tug to the front of his tunic.

“ _Very well_ ,” gentle fingers took hold of the ring dangling from her collar, giving the lightest of tugs. “Up.”

True to her word, Iza got to her feet without fuss—though her knees _did_ give a little bit of a shake at first—and waited patiently for him to stand and join her. Obi-Wan took his time, finishing his drink and gathering up Iza’s cloak before he got up. Eyeing her, he carefully draped the material around her shoulders and fastened it at her throat, pulling the panels around her to hide her from view from the rest of the room. Hooking his finger into the ring again, he urged her to tilt her chin for him and treated her to a deep, slow kiss that had the younger Jedi following after him when he tried to pull away. Chuckling at her, he smiled and tilted his head in the direction of the exit.

“Come, my dear,” another tiny tug was given to the collar. “You’ve made me wait long enough.”

~*~*~*~

Why was she so damn nervous?

The whole walk back to the hotel had been completely silent and Obi-Wan hadn’t looked at her at all as he led her down the street with a hand pressed to her lower back and a determined look on his handsome face. He’d steered her up the stairs instead of waiting for the lift that would take them up to their room, and impatiently scanned the passcard three times at the wrong door before Iza had to gently let him know that theirs was on the _opposite_ side. It made her wonder if the anxiety in her chest was _hers_ or if it was _Obi-Wan’s_.

She half expected him to pounce the moment they got inside and was damn surprised when he stepped away from her to head over to the little bar in the corner.

“Drink, darling?”

“No, thank you,” shaking her head, Iza had started to unclasp her cloak when he held his hand up to stop her.

“Leave it.”

“But—”

“Stay as you are,” he downed whatever dark liquid he’d poured himself and gave her a look. “That’s _my_ privilege, not yours.”

 _Privilege?_ As if he hadn’t already been treated to seeing her entire body on display? Nevertheless, Iza let her hands fall back at her sides and tried not to fidget while she waited for him to finish doing _whatever_ it was he was doing over there. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait very long before he was strolling back over with that predatory stare of his and his hands already coming up to cup the sides of her face.

“You remember the safe words, yes?” He asked, lightly brushing his thumb against her bottom lip.

“ _Cin, Genet_ and _Ne’tra_.” She nodded, tilting her head just enough to graze her teeth over the digit, watching him smile.

“Good girl,” his hands slid to the cloak at her neck, unfastening it and slipping it from her shoulders to let it drop to the floor. “And you remember what they mean?”

“White for _continue_ , Grey to _take it easy_ and Black stops the game.”

“And if you cannot verbalize?”

Iza hesitated. She hadn’t liked this precaution that they’d discussed.

“ _Darling_ ,”

“Obi-Wan, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“And _I_ don’t want to hurt _you_ , Iza,” he kissed the spot between her eyes and hummed quietly. “What did we discuss?”

“Using the Force to deter you.” She closed her eyes to let him sweep his lips over her brow, acutely aware of the fact that his fingers were toying with the fine mesh of her bodysuit near her navel now. “But I don’t _want_ —”

“You will do as you’re told,” he warned, skimming his mouth along her cheek to her ear. His teeth playfully tugged the outer edge before he breathed a quiet sigh and pulled back. “I’m still mindful of how you project your feelings at me, darling. No matter what you think.” His smile was light and _kind_ ; he looked like himself and not the hedonistic beast she’d become familiar with. “If you cannot speak and will not use the Force like we discussed—I will still _know_ when you’re uncomfortable.”

“And you’ll stop?”

“Of course, my darling girl,” tilting his head, he raised an eyebrow. “Does that suit you better?”

Iza nodded and sucked in a sharp breath when his hands snatched her waist, pulling her in tight against his body. His mouth found hers and lured her into a teasing kiss that had her pushing up onto her toes, whining quietly and poking her tongue out from between her lips to shamelessly try and ease the craving she had for his taste. His response was to ghost his lips against hers, nearly grinning when he’d pull back and elicit more of those soft sounds of impatience from her. She was such a needy thing, wasn’t she? He couldn’t help but notice how much she seemed to love and loathe being taunted when they had to play _Pretend_ in public; she’d left little damp spots on his trouser legs more than once.

He let out a surprised growl when her teeth caught his bottom lip and sank deep enough to pinch, surging forward to close the space between them while dragging his nails against the weak mesh bodysuit she wore. His chest pressed hard into hers when she sucked at his tongue in those soft little pulls of her mouth and he gripped the flimsy thing in his fingers, giving a good yank to split it in half. The sound of the material tearing away made the younger Jedi pull back and look at him in shock, the arousal clear as day on her face. Obi-Wan worked his way up her back, letting out quiet grunts as he tore the thing in two, then proceeded to yank it down.

“ _Get it off_.”

She didn’t need to be told twice. Pulling the useless piece of clothing down as far as she could, Iza stopped when she reached where the mesh was tucked into the boots she wore and huffed in frustration. The damn things had so many buttons and ties that they’d taken forever to even put on; getting them _off_ would be just as much of a nightmare. Obi-Wan must’ve sensed her annoyance because the next thing Iza knew, she was being lifted off of her feet and carried over to the bed where he dropped her quite unceremoniously. Pulling her legs up against his chest, he began working the various fasteners free. Deft fingers moved quickly over buttons and tugged the bits of lacing free until each boot had been loosened enough to remove. The rest of the bodysuit went with them and so did his tunic and Iza felt her breath catch in her throat.

 _Stars above_. Somehow, she hadn’t expected him to be built as beautifully as he was. Like Anakin, his muscles were defined in a way that was almost unfair. The bit of hair she’d seen peek through the tunics he’d been wearing appeared to deck only the center of his chest, a faint line of it trailing down to his navel. Sitting up, she started to reach for the belt keeping his trousers resting low on his hips and whined when he tapped her knuckles and shook his head.

“Not yet,”

“Master—”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” he corrected, looking almost flustered by her use of the word. She’d have to store that in the back of her head for later. “Just Obi-Wan, darling.”

“Why do _you_ get to touch?” Leaning in, she propped her chin in the middle of his abdomen and felt the muscles there tighten briefly. “When do _I_ get a turn?”

His smile was just as lecherous as the one he’d given her the first night of this stupid _mission_ that she was beginning to question was a mission at all. Sliding his fingers under her chin, he fingered the ring in the collar she still wore and playfully jingled it.

“Do you know what this is for, my dear?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “I believe I told you it was for your safety—but it has _other_ purposes.”

She had an idea, but was afraid to say what it was.

“It’s a declaration of your submission,” he bent at the knee then so he was at eye level with her, his expression becoming serious for a moment. “You handed yourself over to me for the evening, Iza. We’ve agreed to boundaries, set our safe codes—you belong to _me_ , darling.”

“I don’t recall consenting to that,” frowning, the brunette tried not to look more than just pouty. Honestly—she wasn’t terribly upset about anything more than the idea that he wasn’t going to let her touch him. She wanted very much to run her fingers over his skin and find out what made _him_ melt and tremble.

“Would you like to stop?”

“Have I said that I want to stop?”

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her, parting her knees to rest against her.

“You’re impatient. You’ve been spoiled by your Clone.” He dragged his lips down her neck and moved the collar out of the way to nip the sweat-damp skin beneath. “You need to be taught _properly_.”

Iza wanted to object. It wasn’t Catcher’s fault that he enjoyed giving her what she asked for, when she asked for it. And—once again—his presumptuous ass had decided that he knew everything about the situation. If only he knew the other sorts of games she and her Commander liked to get up to.

“Do not get upset with me,” _damn him_. She supposed she ought to feel relieved that he was staying true to his word about staying vigilant about her emotional shifts. “I only want to show you there are other ways to experience pleasure, darling.”

And then she felt it; a sensation like the thick press of fingers inside of her cunt that was almost _too warm_ to be his hand. It _wasn’t_ his hand. Aside from the fact that one of his palms was resting comfortably on her knee while the other hand dangled lazily off her thigh, the sensation reached far too deep to be his fingers. _Maker_ , was he using the Force to tease her? A quick glance downward to make sure that she hadn’t been mistaken about the placement of his hands confirmed it. The fingers of his left hand moved slow in light swirls, occasionally shifting in a come-hither motion that sent that pressure upward against some intensely sensitive spot inside of her that she hadn’t known existed. Her hands curled in the bedding she sat upon, legs trembling and shifting almost uncontrollably as high-pitched sounds left her throat.

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” she sounded startled and desperately needy all at once, but all she got was a chuckle in return and more kisses trailed over her shoulder. Could he even _do_ this? It was such an improper use of the Force that it _had_ to go against some sort of Jedi law.

“Relax for me,” he said quietly, his beard tickling her skin. “Let the Force guide you, darling. Reach for what you feel from me.”

“Is it—”

“I assure you,” he’d begun to nudge her back onto the bed, reaching one arm out to grab a pillow and settle it beneath her head. “There is nothing immoral about what we’re doing. Close your eyes. Trust in the Force. Trust in **_me_**.”

She did as she was told, doing her best to steady her breathing and connect further with the sensation between her thighs. It took a moment—mostly because she kept losing her concentration—but as she reached invisible fingers out into the ever-present flow of energy around her, she found Obi-Wan’s specific warmth and snagged hold of him. The jolt of pleasure that ran through her was like liquid fire; quick and hot and dangerous. It reminded her of the whisky he liked to drink and the burn it liked to leave in her belly when she had too much of it. She tasted him in her mouth, felt his body heat washing over her and smelled him in every heavy breath she took. Iza couldn’t take it; he was maxing all of her senses out and there was nothing more she could do than twist around on the bed and cry out to him.

The press of a hot mouth against her belly startled the hell out of her and she nearly broke the connection without meaning to, but Obi-Wan held fast to it and kept a tight enough grip to hold it in place until she was able to relax again.

“ _Trust me_ ,” his voice was in her head and the deep, reassuring tone settled her nerves as much as it could. Her hips jumped when he kissed her stomach again and she wondered faintly when he’d moved. She hadn’t felt the bed shift at all, hadn’t felt him part her knees even though she could feel his shoulders resting against the insides of her thighs now. There was a hand resting near her hip and she could feel his fingers still moving in those steady curling motions that echoed the heavy pressure inside of her. Combined with the knowledge of where his mouth was headed, Iza could feel herself losing control of her body.

“Master,” her breathless whisper earned a soft _tut_. “I can’t… I’m gonna…”

“ _Good_.” She felt the telltale gust of breath over slick flesh that told her he’d made it to his destination. The deep drag of his tongue that followed almost set her off instantly and made her cry out. “I want you to.”

“ ** _Fuck_** ,” he could take her over his knee and spank her until she was black and blue and she would fucking thank him for it. “Obi-Wan— _please_ ,”

A growl followed and he pressed closer, swirling his tongue slowly over creamy flesh until she stilled suddenly and all but screamed his name to the ceiling. A satisfied hum rumbled in his throat and he gave a gentle suck, delighting in the way her whole body seemed to shiver. _Stars_ , she was wet. And sweet to boot. Perhaps he should’ve shown her the little Force Bond trick sooner? Judging by how many expletives she was uttering at him, he supposed so. She really did have the mouth of a Trooper; he had to admit—it was quite arousing on a level.

“Obi-Wan,” her sleek fingers had made their way into his hair, nails dragging along his scalp as she parted her thighs further and tipped her hips up invitingly against his mouth. “I can’t concentrate.”

“Let go then,” he murmured, unwilling to take his mouth off of her for more than a few seconds. He felt her confliction over severing their link and lifted his gaze to her face, silently willing her to look at him. He felt his cock throb in his trousers at the sight of how dilated her eyes had become, leaning back just enough to trace light circles around her clit with the point of his tongue until her mouth dropped open and her toes curled. “I _said_ — ** _let go_**.”

He felt the distinct _pinch_ of the link breaking and heard her whimper. The loss of his presence in her being would likely be upsetting for a few minutes, but he’d do his best to make up for it. Obi-Wan wished he could do more for that sense of emptiness she’d feel, but this would have to do. It was _never_ easy having to disconnect from a Bond—even a temporary one. He stepped up his actions, shifting to slide his tongue inside as deep as it would go until she squealed and gave a rather vicious tug to his hair. Looking up at her again, he growled against her flesh and almost smirked when she eased back on the pulling. _Good girl_. She was learning. She was also teetering quite close to another climax, it seemed.

Bringing himself up onto his knees on the bed, Obi-Wan smoothed his hands along the backs of Iza’s thighs and pressed her legs up against her chest, closing his mouth over her and sucking in greedy pulls interspersed with drags of his tongue against her clit. He was a little worried she might kick him in the face the first time she jerked, but he soon began to follow the movement of her hips as she twisted and squirmed beneath him. He heard her call him _Master_ again and wished to the damn Maker she’d stop doing it. It only served to make him harder and put some serious strain on his ability to restrain himself. If she wanted him to be the bastard she believed him to be, she was on the right track for making it happen.

Her second orgasm was as glorious as the first, if not a little more on the violent side. She thrashed under him, called out every curse word in the universe, and lifted her hips so high up from the bed that he’d had to prop his hands against her lower back just to support her. Still, he continued the soft, deep passes of his tongue until she pounded a hand against the mattress and let out a sound much like a sob.

“ _Ne’tra! **Ne’tra**!_” Her sweet voice was so shaky and weak and delightfully rough, almost like she was close to passing out. “ _Obi-Wan, please_.”

With one last careful lick, he pulled back and gently lowered her back to the bed, resting her tightly crossed ankles against one of his shoulders while running his hands along her shaking legs. Her body was veiled in a thin layer of sweat and her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, the back of one hand covering her eyes while the other continued to hold tight to the bedding. He could see how tight the muscles of her abdomen had become and noticed the soft flush of pink dusted over her skin and he couldn’t help smiling to himself.

“ _Fu—_ ”

“Don’t say it,” he warned, turning his head to kiss her ankle. “Let me enjoy this without your foul mouth, darling.”

Moving the hand away from her eyes, Iza whined at him and pressed her lips together. _All right_. She could grant him that. After what he’d just done to her—she’d give him anything he asked for, honestly. Gazing at him for a few beats, she tilted her head and lifted her hand to wave him over her, pouting when he didn’t move from his spot.

“Kiss me,” she needed water desperately but didn’t want to get up, and she’d scream if he decided to be a gentleman and get up to get her some.

 _Thankfully_ , he only smiled and shook his head before lowering her legs to the bed so he could crawl up her twitching body, not quite settling himself on top of her. Iza wasn’t going to fuss about the fact that she could taste herself quite plainly in his mouth when she pulled him in for a slow kiss, and she wouldn’t complain about how _wet_ his beard was. If anything, it only served to reignite her arousal, which startled her quite a bit. Catcher liked to tease her about how insatiable she could be—and at times, she found him to be right—but she couldn’t recall ever having been _this_ needy before. Maybe it was the sinful feeling of knowing that she had the privilege of bedding one of the Order’s most yearned after Jedi Masters. There were _lots_ of younger Jedi at the Tower who would skin a Tooka alive for the chance to be in her place.

 _Maker_ —not to mention the ones who would love the chance to get at Anakin. She hadn’t even had him yet, but she had the distinct feeling he’d probably learned a lot from his Master. That thought sent another hot surge through her body and made her moan into the elder Jedi’s mouth, making him chuckle in return.

“You’ve got an appetite,” he teased, giving her lower lip a soft suck. “I see now why you keep your partner.”

“Don’t talk about him right now.” Catcher needed to be the last person on her mind if she wasn’t going to end up riddled with guilt. “I want to focus on _you_.”

“And you may,” finally, he settled down against her, pressing an impressive erection into her belly. “But I’d like you to be semi-aware of yourself first.”

“Why are you like that?” Pouting, Iza reached up and tugged gently at the damp ends of his beard. “Why are you so damn _savage_ one moment and then sweet the next?”

“Because that is how a proper dominant should behave.”

“Is that what you call what you just did to me?” She smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Using the Force to get me off and then—”

“You misunderstand,” his fingertip trailed over the scar on her cheek, followed by a sweet brush of his lips. “No matter what transpires between us, no matter how intense or innocent, _my_ responsibility is to make sure you’re well taken care of. Not just satisfied, darling.”

He was serious. He was taking all of this so seriously. It wasn’t just an opportunity for him to get off like she’d assumed. It made her feel wretched for treating him with such rudeness over the last few days. In her defense—her _poor_ defense—she hadn’t known. Once again, she’d been left in the dark until the last minute with no idea how this was all supposed to work. Was Anakin like this, too? Would he behave like an animal and then an angel once the bliss had died down?

“What’s troubling you, my dear?” He shook her out of her thoughts, bringing her back to the present to find him with his cheek propped against his knuckles and a soft smile on his face. “You’re projecting quite hard.”

“I’m all right,” those blue eyes of his were so pretty. So _painfully_ pretty. And the way his hair hung across his forehead and tickled his eyelashes was just too damn attractive. Running her fingers up the side of his neck, she gently scratched her nails through his beard and smiled at the low rumble that sounded in his chest. Like a damn cat, he was.

“You’re being dishonest,” he kept the smile on his face and leaned further into the touch.

“I would rather talk about something else, Obi-Wan.” Lifting her head, Iza stole a soft kiss and lightly bit the corner of her bottom lip. Nudging her hips up, she almost grinned at the hiss that left him and smoothed her fingers back into his hair. “May I have my turn now?”

Looking her over a few times, the older man pondered it for a while before tutting and giving the bridge of her nose a kiss.

“Since you asked so _nicely_ ,” he rolled off of her carefully, propping himself up on his elbows beside her. Giving a little jerk of his head, he smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Come on, darling. Don’t keep me waiting. You know how much I _hate_ to wait.”


	5. I Can Be Your Whore

Iza wanted very much to keep him waiting. In fact, she wanted to see how far she could push his buttons to the breaking point just to find out what might happen. There was so much potential in taunting him and it was just so _tempting_ —but the look in his eye warned her not to test him. _Maybe_ she’d be able to get away with a little light teasing if she played her cards right, but she would definitely not be granted the privilege of toying with him the way she might be able to toy with Catcher. _Oh well_ ; perhaps next time they could work something out.

“I see gears turning,” he lightly wagged a finger at her as he moved to prop himself against the headboard, that sly smile forming on his lips again. “What are you up to, darling?”

“Nothing,” shrugging as she watched him, Iza waited for him to get settled before going to remove his boots. _Honestly_. For a man who was such a stickler for manners and things, she would’ve thought he’d keep his shoes off the bed. “Am I not allowed to think, Master?”

“You’re _definitely_ not allowed to call me **that** ,”

“You haven’t said _why_ ,”

“Because,” reaching down to help get the other boot off, he tossed it aside and took the other one from her after she’d tugged it off. “You say it in a terribly filthy tone and while I like to think I’m a man of great restraint, I _do_ have limits.”

“Speaking of,” all right—so she wasn’t going to be able to help herself. She understood he was the one in charge and that he had the final say in everything for the evening, but Iza wanted to at least _ask_ if she’d be allowed to have the same amount of fun that he’d had with her. “Am I following orders or taking the lead?”

Tilting his head lightly, Obi-Wan hummed in thought and eyed her.

“I’ll refrain from giving orders—but you may _not_ bully me about, understood?” Hooking his finger in the collar with a smirk, he tugged playfully and got a grumble in return. “So long as you wear this, you’re _mine_.”

“And what if I take it off?”

A fire seemed to blaze in Obi-Wan’s blue eyes and before Iza knew what was happening, she was being hauled over him, then rolled beneath him where he pinned her to the bed. He settled his weight on top of her as evenly as possible, dipping his head to find the spot on her neck he’d been working to mark up all night and sinking his teeth in deep.

“You will _not_.” He warned, releasing her only to bite down a second time. “You’ve done nothing but torment me since we left Coruscant. You _promised_ yourself to me. You will let me have you the way that I want you.”

Part of Iza felt like she should be threatened by that statement. It was so damn _aggressive_ and unlike him that it felt like it was coming from another person entirely. But that twisted side of her—the one that liked to get up to _terrible_ games when no one was looking—was absolutely delighted by the concept. She wondered what might happen if she provoked him further; would he rough her up the way she liked? Would he take the collar off on his own and put his hands around her neck in its place the way Anakin had the first night? Just _how deep_ did this sadistic streak run in him? She was almost curious enough to poke the beast and see for herself.

“I _feel_ that,” he warned, turning her head with a nudge of his fingers to get at the other side of her neck. “You’re playing with the wrong sort of fire, darling,”

“You _know_ that’s what I want,” she was so tempted to bring her hands up and tug at the stupid collar just to see how he might react. “You saw me with Ani. _You know, **Master**._”

“I know very well what it is you want,” those perfect teeth of his scraped up along her jaw and grazed the curve of her chin. “But this is _my_ game, Jedi Tacor. We play by _my_ rules tonight.”

“I don’t want to be treated like a _lady_ , Master.”

“Who said anything about that?” She wasn’t sure when he’d started toying with one of her nipples, but his fingers were far from gentle as he pinched and rolled and plucked at the tight little peak. “And if you don’t start calling me by my name, you’re going to regret it. This is your last warning, my dear.”

“I’m sorry, _Ben_.”

The heavy growl was her only warning before he rolled off of her and she was lifted from her place on the bed and settled belly-down across his lap with her ass high in the air. Without warning, he lifted his hand and swatted her. The first blow of his hand on her ass made her cry out. He spared no mercy as he spanked her hard, each blow sending reverberations of pain throughout.

“ _I. Fucking. Told. You_ —” _Maker_ , she **really** liked hearing him swear like that. “— _You. Will. **Behave**_.”

Tears sprang into Iza’s eyes and she had to bite her tongue to keep from protesting. She lost count of how many blows he’d dealt as pain evolved into heat and heat became a deep, drugging pleasure. Instead of bracing herself, she’d begun to arch into the downswing of his hand, crying out in soft, mewling gasps. She could feel herself getting wetter, the evidence seeping from her sex to trickle down her thighs. The endorphins were sucking her under, begging for more of the delicious pain.

Suddenly, the blows stopped coming and it made her whine in frustration.

“ _More!_ ”

“No darling,” his palm was gentle as it smoothed over the reddening skin of her ass. As much as he’d like to continue and let her have what she wanted, he knew taking it too far would lead to broken skin and a _very_ painful comedown from the endorphin high she was experiencing. “You’ve had enough.”

“Please?” She whimpered, wriggling in his lap. “Please… _Obi-Wan_ …”

“I’ve said _no_ , my darling girl,” his tone was firm but still very soothing as he lifted her from his lap and helped her to stand, noting how shaky her legs were. Iza’s breathing was harsh, ragged. Her pupils dilated to the point that only a tiny sliver of peridot remained. She looked at him like she was ready to give him anything he asked for and while that thought made his dick ache, Obi-Wan knew he couldn’t cash that silent offer in. Cupping her cheek with the same hand he’d spanked her with, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth.

The younger woman pressed forward with a sense of urgency he’d fully braced himself for, but was still surprised by nevertheless. Her teeth were harsh against his bottom lip, hands clumsy as they pawed down his bare chest and frantically took hold of the waist of his trousers. Iza let out another one of those disappointed whines when he snatched her hands away, straining against his hold while pushing forward like she thought she could pin him to the bed. He let her struggle and exhaust herself, startled more than once when she managed to pull out of his grasp and nearly shoulder him flat onto his back. _Strong_ for such a tiny thing. Determined, too. But once he’d started to feel her drive start to weaken, he released her hands and wound his arms around her waist, pulling her onto the bed to lay beside him.

“Iza,” the way she turned her face towards the brush of his knuckles and wrapped her lips around one of his fingers was damn distracting. “Darling, I must ask if you’re all right.”

She gave him such a foul look that he worried for a minute that she’d strike him. Instead, she took one of his hands in hers and pressed it between her thighs. _Well then._ Point taken. But it didn’t answer his question.

“That isn’t what I asked,” he smiled and smoothed the hair away from her forehead with his free hand, pressing another soft kiss to her lips. “It’s important that you tell me, Iza.”

“ _Cin_.” Raising an eyebrow as if to ask if that was a good enough answer, she shivered as he rubbed a finger between the folds of her pussy and tutted at her.

“You’re spoiled.” He teased, kissing her chin. “And _wet_. My goodness, darling.”

“ _Your fault_.” She was pouting. How cute.

“I will take the blame for the latter, but I’ve got _nothing_ to do with you being spoiled.”

“You could’ve kept going,” nudging up against his touch to silently encourage him, Iza frowned, “Why didn’t you?”

“Whether you realize it or not,” he obliged her, rubbing delicate circles around her clit while her hips jerked lightly in response. “Your body will deceive you with that lovely feeling you’re asking for. Too much, and you can black out.” Humming quietly, he pressed his finger deep and smiled at the moaning sigh he received in return. “It’s my responsibility to remain vigilant and keep that from happening. No matter how much you beg and plead—I must keep to the boundaries, darling. Yours _and_ mine.”

“Doesn’t it drive you insane?” Her fingers brushed along his bare chest as her breathing picked up. “Forcing yourself to use so much restraint?”

“I’m a _Jedi_ , Iza,” Giving her a look, he smiled faintly and added a second finger, letting out a low groan when her nails dragged across his skin. “That should be enough to answer your question.”

“But—”

“No _buts_ , my dear,” shaking his head, he peppered tiny kisses across her cheeks and forehead. “I take my pleasure in pushing buttons and boundaries, but I’m not a monster. I wouldn’t deliberately hurt you. Anyone who can’t be mindful of their partner doesn’t deserve to play these sorts of games _at all_.”

“Is that why you snap at Anakin the way that you do?” The question was as innocent as she could make it. She truly _was_ curious. “Are you worried he’s not mindful enough when he’s playing rough with me?”

“He’s still learning,” his teeth were gentle when he sank them into her bottom lip and tugged. “I understand how much it frustrates you, but it’s for your own good.”

“It’s unfair,” she was pouting again and she knew it. “He can’t learn if you hold his hand the whole way.”

“And he won’t learn with a spoiled little thing like _you_ egging him on.” Smiling, Obi-Wan brushed his fingertip over her chin and sighed. “You must both learn boundaries. I believe _you_ shall be easier to teach. Now, _be silent_. Give yourself to me, darling.”

It hadn’t taken long at all for Iza to start mewling and twisting under the slow pump of his fingers. No matter how hard she tried to keep hold on herself, all it took was a few careful sweeps of his thumb over her clit and a firm press against that sinful spot inside of her before she was curling against his chest and shuddering hard. _How?_ What had he done to her to make her so damn sensitive? Iza wouldn’t ever say she was complaining—not in a million years—but she couldn’t recall her body ever being this responsive with Catcher. Perhaps he was still using the Force? The soft press of lips against her neck pulled her out of her thoughts and Iza whined as he slowly eased his hand from between her legs, grasping her hip with it to bring her flush against his form.

“Are you going to behave for me now, Jedi Tacor?” Obi-Wan’s teeth found her shoulder and nipped sharply at it.

“I…” _yes_. Yes she’d behave. But Iza was almost tired of playing silly games. She could feel how hard he was against her thigh and how he kept shifting away whenever she’d try rubbing on him to give him some relief. Just exactly who was he trying to impress with his ability to _restrain himself?_ Certainly not her. Iza would rather have him give in to whatever filthy temptations were brewing inside of his mind at this point. He’d treated her so damn well up to now and it seemed unfair to let him stew in his arousal for so long. “Obi-Wan,”

“Yes, darling?”

“How do you want me?” She wouldn’t let him move away this time as she hooked her leg over his hip and pulled him in tight, fingers skimming up through the sparse hair on his chest. He pulled back to look at her, blue eyes filled with that fire she was really starting to enjoy. Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, the brunette gave him the sweetest damn look she could muster up and watched his jaw go slack. _Got him_.

The hand grasping her hip tightened its hold to a bruising grip, his short nails biting into her skin as a low rumble started in his chest and he surged forward to roll her onto her back. His lips met hers in another one of those rough, dizzying kisses, tongue and teeth dominating her mouth as he used his hips to nudge her further into the center of the bed. When he was satisfied with their position, he rose up onto his knees and flipped her onto her belly with a careless motion of his hand, grinning lazily at the startled sound she made. Hot palms smoothed over the backs of her thighs and up the curve of her bruised ass and Iza let out a soft yelp when he sank his teeth into one rounded cheek before he gave it a light smack.

“Grab that pillow, darling,” she could hear him unfastening his belt and feel the fabric of his trousers shift against her legs as he worked them off his hips. “Go on,”

Reaching for the pillow in question, Iza tucked it under her head and gasped when he took hold of her hips again to pull her up in the position he wanted her, settling a restraining hand against her shoulders when she tried to prop herself up on her elbows.

“ _No_ ,” Obi-Wan’s voice was surprisingly gentle. “Stay down. Keep your hips up and spread your legs.”

 _Fuck_. What was it about hearing him utter such filth that made her ache all over again? Doing as she was told, Iza felt surprisingly shy under his gaze. It wasn’t like he hadn’t had a nice, up close look at her already. But it felt different to be put on display like this. A soothing palm rubbed over her lower back and she had a bad feeling he was about to ask her whether she wanted to stop.

“I swear to the Maker if you ask if I’m all right—”

“ _Silence_.” The sharp slap he gave didn’t quite hit her ass, striking across the back of her thigh instead and making her jump. “You will not order me about.”

“ _Yes, sir._ ”

Oh, he liked that. She could tell just by the sound he made and the way he leaned over her to drop kisses all along her spine. She felt the head of his cock brush her thigh as he murmured praise to her for her compliance, but she ignored it and wondered how he’d react if she tried to shift back against him. Deciding it was best to continue letting him take the lead, she was soon rewarded for her patience.

“I’m going to take you,” he warned, rubbing the head of his cock between her slick folds. “You have one chance to tell me whether you want me to do it like this, or if you want protection.”

“I’m—” _Stars_ , she couldn’t breathe. “I’ve got the chip.”

“Very well,” his hand steadied her hip and then he was pressing forward, filling her slowly with incredibly hard flesh. He growled almost savagely and Iza felt a strange pull in her gut like she was holding back on an unknown urge. It was Obi-Wan’s restraint, she realized, and it seemed to be holding on by mere threads as he sank himself to the hilt. Out of habit, the younger Jedi started to arch back on him only to have him dig his fingers into her hips and keep her still. “Don’t… don’t fucking move.”

_Holy—_

She wasn’t sure if it was the gruffness in his voice or the way he swore at her, but something in his tone made her body clench tight around him and earned her a hiss of breath in response. Slowly, he leaned over her and blanketed her back, smoothing his hands over her arms to lace his fingers together with hers, resting his chin on her shoulder as his heavy breathing gusted in her ear.

“Close your eyes,” he wasn’t even trying to hide the light tremor in his voice. “Reach for me again, darling. _Let me have you_.”

She needed none of his insistence. She’d already shut her eyes the moment he’d said the command and found it much easier to reconnect that electrifying link they’d shared earlier. Much like before, she cried out the instant it snapped together, burying her face in the pillow beneath her head. She heard a grunt, felt him pull his hips back, and then heard the sound of his skin meeting hers when he drove them forward again. If he hadn’t positioned his legs against hers the way he had, Iza was sure she would’ve lost her balance and fallen forward on the next thrust. He was so damn _ruthless_ about it, driving himself as deep as he could like he thought he’d never get the chance to have her again; like he didn’t want to waste what he was getting. Her fingers were going numb from gripping his and that liquid fire sensation from their link made it even harder to breathe than it already was.

Iza barely noticed when he’d shaken one of his hands free until she felt fingers sliding beneath the collar on her neck and she let out a shaky cry when he simply cradled her throat in his palm. His thumb stroked over her pulse point in tune with the rhythm of his hips, the rough rasp of his beard brushing against her cheek as he panted hard against her skin.

“If you want it,” he whispered to her, sinking himself deep and holding his hips in place. “ _Beg_ ,”

“ _Please!_ ” She hadn’t meant to shout or sound so fucking pitiful but he had her teetering on the fine line between pleasure and pain and she so _desperately_ wanted him to push her past her breaking point she was willing to do damn near anything for it. “I’ll be _yours_. I’ll be a good girl. Just give it to me— _please!_ ”

The tiniest bit of pressure from his fingertips followed, his hips drawing back to continue fucking into her savagely. She felt his lips mash against her cheek, teeth inadvertently pressing into the soft, scarred flesh. The pressure tightened and she let out a delighted sound, tilting her head back.

“ _Harder,_ ” shit, she was lightheaded enough. Any harder and she’d pass out the way he’d warned her she might. Honestly—she didn’t give a shit.

He seemed to misunderstand at first, the speed of his hips picking up to a harsher pace that broke the pain barrier and made her eyes flutter open with a choked sound. Even as little tears streaked down her cheeks, she pushed back on him and was rewarded with a quick, hefty squeeze.

“I said—” he sounded on the verge of losing it. “— _don’t move_.”

“ _Again_.”

Shaking his head, Obi-Wan swallowed hard and eased up his grip entirely, slipping his fingers away from her throat. He knew she was going to disapprove and frankly, he didn’t fucking care. The heavy heat in the base of his spine was becoming too much to bear and with every slam of his hips into her, he was getting closer and closer to the blissful release he’d been craving since she’d exposed that pretty body to his eyes in the trashy costume their first day together. She was such a sweet little cocktease, even if she didn’t realize it. Such a _bitch_ , too. She was the perfect partner for he and Anakin to share—she just didn’t realize it yet. Or perhaps she did. He wasn’t blind to the fact that she’d come to favor his young friend, but at least he’d have the pleasure of knowing that **_he’d_** been the one to take her first.

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” there she went with that pleading tone of hers. He didn’t need to hear her ask to know what she wanted and she wasn’t going to get it.

“ _No_.”

“Motherf—”

“I will _stop_ ,” it would kill him to do it, but he wasn’t going to let her bully him when this was _his_ game. “Do not test me, darling.”

Iza pounded her free hand against the bed and let out another one of those choked shouts, biting into the pillow out of frustration. He heard her growling like a pissed off cat, felt her tighten deliciously around his cock, and swore he heard her shout obscenities at him over their link. Honestly, he was surprised she was able to keep hold of it when she was so lost in pleasure like that. Rising up on his knees again, the elder Jedi gave a solid smack to her ass and smiled when she cried out to him. He wasn’t going to last if she kept squeezing like that and he had the feeling she wasn’t going to last either. _Good_.

Sliding a hand down the curve of her spine, he tilted his head and slowed the pace of his hips, keeping them just as brutal for the sake of not having to listen to her whine about that too. When the burn in his lower back began to spark into an unbearably hot pressure, he reached for the back of the collar and _pulled_. His hips stuttered as his orgasm went off like a shot, a loud shout following the blazing hot sensation that burned through him as he poured himself into her. Letting go of the leather before he ended up hurting her, Obi-Wan dropped forward on his palms and continued the harsh thrusts despite the shocks of sensitivity that jolted through his pelvis. His teeth left deep marks between her shoulderblades as he snarled against her skin, sliding a hand beneath her belly to hold her to him.

“ ** _Come_** , darling,” he felt her flutter around him and his eyes rolled back in his head, face pressing into her back to muffle a curse he didn’t need her to hear. “I won’t stop until you do.”

Iza had been on the brink as it was and the sensation of feeling _his_ orgasm along the Bond had been so fucking intense that she was damn sure she’d actually passed out for a moment. She’d felt him tugging at the collar and heard that beastly sound he’d made and he hadn’t missed a damn beat as he coaxed her to the edge. He didn’t have to wait long before she was spiraling, tensing hard and _screaming_ into the pillow uncontrollably. Again, a swift sense of darkness fogged her senses and threatened to take consciousness away from her and she felt the faintest shift of movement behind her before her hips were being lowered and she was being turned onto her back. Warm, strong, lightly trembling arms gathered her against a sweat-slick chest and cradled her head against a shoulder and she felt kisses being pressed to her face while fingers ran through her hair.

“Darling?” Obi-Wan’s voice was strained from shouting, but the concern was clear in his tone.

Lifting her hand to try and give a dismissive wave, she panted harshly and turned to nestle closer into him. Her body tingled all over and ached in places she was sure would make difficult to walk; but she was fine. At least, _she_ thought she was fine.

“Iza,” his fingers gently pinched her jaw and turned her face upward. “I need you to look at me, dear.”

Whining in protest, Iza reluctantly opened her eyes. It took a fair bit of effort to do so, though she’d never admit it. He’d exhausted her completely and she felt the overwhelming need to thank him for it. His blue eyes were soft as they gazed down at her, assessing her silently. She waited for the little pinch she’d felt before of him disconnecting the bond, but it never came. Instead, he simply leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead, stroking his thumb along her cheek.

“How do you feel?” It was a genuine question; she was sure he wasn’t asking about his performance.

“Sore.” Her throat, her hips, her _pussy_ ; all of it hurt in the most amazing of ways.

“Would you like to get in the bath?”

The question earned him a tilt of the head and a curious look. She hadn’t expected that.

“Together?”

He smiled and hummed out a laugh, kissing her forehead again.

“If it would make you happy, yes.”

“Okay.” Nodding, she started to sit up when he gave her a tiny squeeze and shook his head.

“I’ve got you, darling. I’ll take care of you.”

“You don’t have to.”

That smile widened into something warm and familiar. Shifting to the edge of the bed, it took Obi-Wan a moment to get to his feet with her in his arms. Shooting her a look, he jerked his head at the collar still wrapped around her neck and began the short walk into the washroom.

“So long as you wear that,” he murmured, “You are _my_ responsibility.”

“Right.” Nestling her cheek against his shoulder again, Iza sighed and gave a sarcastic roll of her tired eyes. “You’re such a soft soul for someone who fucks the way you do.”

Pausing in the doorway he pursed his lips at her, looking very much like he wanted to scold her for cursing. Instead, he sighed and shook his head.

“I’ll let that one go. But only because you’re already going to have a hard time sitting down tomorrow.” Looking around the little room, he gave a careful wave of his fingers to get the water running and leaned up against the wall to readjust her in his arms. “But thank you. I think.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t fall asleep on me just yet,” nosing at her hair, the older man kissed the top of her head. “I fear I got a little carried away and I’d like to make sure I didn’t _hurt_ you.”

“I’m fine.” Looking at him lazily, Iza snorted. “You were perfect.”

“You’re saying that because you’re still basking.” He smirked. “I can feel you.”

“About that—” Tilting her head back to get a better look at him, Iza raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t felt the disconnect.”

Both of his brows went up high on his head and she wasn’t sure if he was concerned or sheepish or both.

“Would you like me to sever it?” Another wave of his fingers cut the water and he carefully stepped over the edge of the tub, peering over her so he could figure a way to lower them both into the cramped space. Once he’d gotten them settled as comfortably as they were going to get, he wound his arms around her middle and let her snuggle back against him once more.

“I don’t mind if you don’t.” Shrugging, Iza shifted on his lap to settle in the space between his knees. Her ass was already sore from the spanking, though she didn’t want to admit it.

“Very well,” kissing her temple, he rested his head against hers and smiled. “If you change your mind, let me know.”

“I like it.” It was a weird thing to admit, especially after how much they’d clashed over the last week and a half. “It feels comfortable.”

“Just do me a favor,”

“Don’t tell Ani?”

“Don’t tell Master Windu,” snorting, he winced lightly. “I do not believe your Master would appreciate me Bonding his apprentice.”

“My Master wouldn’t appreciate a lot of the things that I do.” Turning her head to look at him, Iza tilted her head and lured him into a soft kiss, humming into his mouth before she broke away. “Like I told Anakin—he can eat gundark dung.”

Obi-Wan looked like he was trying hard not to laugh, his lips pursed as an amused look glittered in his eye. She half expected him to scold her as he shook his head and instead, was surprised when he gave her another sweet kiss. The two fell into silence for a while after that, occasionally trading kisses and soft brushes of their fingertips against bare bits of skin. After a while, Obi-Wan became aware of a sense of conflict brewing inside of his young lover and he gave her a tiny nudge to get her attention.

“Out with it.”

“You won’t like it.” She wouldn’t look at him directly and it made him worry for half a second.

“Darling,” dropping a kiss to her shoulder, he nuzzled at her skin and shot her a look from beneath the bits of mussed hair in his eyes. “You can tell me.”

Iza hesitated and glanced at him from the corner of her eye, looking a bit meek.

“I would like to play with her— _with you_.”

 _Her?_ Who could she possibly— **oh**.

“Iza…” frowning Obi-Wan looked incredibly unsure for all of the same reasons he’d given her earlier in the night, and then some. He didn’t know whether or not Asajj would even be up for that sort of thing. She seemed to be more of a one-on-one kind of person in his experience, and she didn’t much care for letting anyone else hold the reins. On her own, Iza might fare against her. But as a pair? It was hard to say.

“You won’t let me do it by myself,” biting down on her bruised bottom lip, the brunette stared down at the water and ran her fingers across the surface. “I thought that maybe—”

“Would it make you happy?” He knew he was going to regret this. He just had the _worst_ feeling in his gut.

“It would.”

 _Fuck_. _Kriff. Shit. Sithspit_.

“You may seek her out, but _only once_.” He was going to be very firm on that. “I’m serious, Iza. I shouldn’t even agree to this.”

“So why are you?” Looking over at him again, Iza raised a curious brow.

Obi-Wan sighed heavily and offered a faint smile, leaning in and nuzzling her cheek.

“You deserve a chance to explore, my dear. And if she’s the one who pulls your attention—then it’s only fair to let you seek her out.” He hated it. He hated that he was going to let her do this. He also hated that he believed every word of what he was telling her. It would be unfair to discourage her from exploring her own sexuality. “Just do me a favor—”

“I’m _not_ telling Anakin.” Letting out a laugh, Iza shook her head. “I wouldn’t tell _Catcher_ , okay? This stays between us.”

Well, _that_ was a relief. Kissing the end of her nose, he smiled at her.

“That’s a good girl. Now,” reaching for the soap that had been set out for them to use, he dipped it beneath the water before rubbing it between his palms. “Let’s get you cleaned up and in bed. I have a feeling you’re going to sleep _very_ hard tonight.”


	6. Stupid Girl

Obi-Wan had been right to say she’d sleep hard. Iza slept so soundly that nothing seemed to be able to wake her until she heard the familiar trill of her communicator going off. At first, she thought it was part of the dream she’d been having. It wasn’t uncommon for her to have near-nightmare like dreams about previous stays on the battlefield with Catcher and the rest of her Squad, but this had been a _strange_ one. It’d involved a lot of the usual things she got up to with her Commander, but included the rest of the Stars at various points as well. She’d tell herself later that it was a byproduct of the assignment and the abnormal amount of sexual activity she’d had as of late. It had taken her a good minute to become alert enough to actually open her eyes and look around the room, disoriented as all hell at first. But when she caught the familiar smell of Obi-Wan on the bedsheets—although the space beside her was vacant—she calmed down.

Reaching a lazy hand out, she concentrated just enough to call the disc to her from where it sat beside her lightsaber on a table across the room and answered it, squinting against the bright blue hologram of Anakin when it popped up.

“Well hello,” he sounded chipper.

“Hey,” pushing herself upright on tired arms, the brunette set the disc on the bed beside her and propped her back against the headboard. “What time is it?”

“Mid-afternoon,” she could see him looking her over and realized that she’d let the blankets slip. There’d been no need to put any clothing on after her bath with Obi-Wan the night before, so he was getting an eyeful. “I take it the two of you had fun?”

“Don’t sound so upset,” brushing the hair out of her eyes, she pulled her knees to her chest and propped her chin on top of them. “You’ll get your turn.”

“I’m not upset.” He insisted, his eyes almost giving him away when he spotted the various bite marks littering her neck and shoulders. His jaw clenched just long enough for her to notice and Iza pursed her lips at him.

“Ani,”

“Did he hurt you?” Okay, so maybe he was more concerned than jealous. It was hard to tell with him sometimes.

“ _No_ ,” she had to laugh. “No he did not.”

“Your neck,” he pointed, reaching out enough for his transparent finger to point at an area on her throat. “Iza—”

“I had a collar on,” she covered the bruise with a hand and shrugged, moving to pull her hair over her shoulders to hide the mark further. “It’s not a big deal. I _promise_ , Anakin. Obi-Wan did _not_ do anything to hurt me.”

“I should say not,” the indignant tone of the elder Jedi had her looking up to see him standing in the doorway with food cartons in his hands and a frown on his face. His eyes shifted from her to Anakin and he huffed in annoyance. “You know me better than that, Anakin. I never overstep boundaries.”

“Can we not do this?” Iza grumbled, rubbing her hands over her face. “Ani, is something wrong or is this just a casual call?”

“Actually,” he turned his attention back to her and waved a hand. “The two of you need to get back here. We’ve got a situation.”

“What kind of situation?” Obi-Wan came over to the bed and set the cartons down, gesturing silently for Iza to help herself.

“Er,” Anakin cleared his throat and quickly stole a glance at Obi-Wan. “We had a visitor last night.”

“Visitor?”

“Uh— _yeah_.”

“Anakin?”

The younger man looked like he _wanted_ to say who it was, but also didn’t know whether he should. Iza—who’d taken to looking into the cartons—seemed oblivious.

“Darling,” Obi-Wan caught her attention and smiled when she picked her head up to look at him. “Would you mind if I borrowed that?”

“Go ahead. But I want it back and don’t touch any of my settings.” Finally choosing one of the cartons with a full lunch inside of it, she didn’t bother looking for a utensil before digging in.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Leaning over to pick the disc up, he dropped a kiss against her temple on the way and carried the communicator into the next room, shutting the door behind him. “Was it Mace?”

“ _Yeah._ ” Rubbing the back of his neck, Anakin spoke at a quieter volume just in case Iza had decided to listen in. “He asked about _progress_.”

“And what did you tell him?”

“I told him exactly what we agreed I’d tell him if anyone from the Tower checked up on us.” Shrugging, Anakin turned a hand up. “He wasn’t thrilled that she wasn’t around, though. I explained that you two were following a lead elsewhere but he seemed… _suspicious_.”

“Most likely because _you_ hadn’t tagged along.” Tutting, Obi-Wan rubbed a hand down his face and shook his head. “ _Damn it_.”

“I did what I could to play it off, Obi-Wan. But the two of you aren’t going to be able to stay where you are.”

“That’s… unfortunate.” Iza was going to be upset. He’d given her permission to pursue Asajj and this was the only place he knew she’d be for the moment. If they left now, she’d lose her chance and likely blame him for it.

“I’m sure she’d be fine sleeping with you here, Master,” Anakin folded his arms over his chest, his tone shaking Obi-Wan from his thoughts.

“Are you _really_ upset about that?” He would continue to celebrate in silence without his partner’s knowledge, but he didn’t like being the target of the younger man’s jealousy. “Anakin, _we’re sharing_.”

“I had her first.”

“That’s not how this works.”

“She wanted _me_.”

“Anakin,” trying not to be impatient, Obi-Wan bit down on his tongue and pressed his lips together tight. “Now is not the time for your childish behavior. It’s not a competition. I’ve told you this.”

“It was with Aayla,” giving his Master a pointed look, he got a scowl in return.

“You need to drop that. I’m so tired of being reminded of my mistakes, Anakin.” Looking very much like he wanted to smash the communicator, Obi-Wan very nearly did just that until he remembered that the disc was not his to break. “Aayla was not… she was never going to be permanent.”

“But you think Iza will?”

“She has the potential, yes.”

“What about her Commander?” _Right_. There was that little detail, wasn’t there? That had been the other snag they’d hit with Aayla. But in fairness, it didn’t seem as though Iza had more than just a physical attachment to the Clone. Perhaps they could work an agreement out?

“We have not even reached that point yet, Anakin,” he wanted to tell his partner to be patient, but _patience_ had never been a virtue with the younger man. “Please do not complicate this before we have a chance to work it out with her.”

Anakin sighed.

“Yes, Master,”

“Is there anything else you need to tell me before I give back the communicator?” He hoped not. He needed to sit down and eat and _think_. He’d make sure that he and Iza got back to the city by the next day, but he wasn’t going to leave here without letting her at least _speak_ with Asajj. Perhaps they could arrange something if the woman was willing.

“No. Have her comm me later.”

“Sure.”

Anakin gave a light salute with two fingers before he disappeared from view and Obi-Wan let out a heavy sigh once the call had been disconnected. Rubbing his hands over his face, he picked the disc up and moved to carry it back into the other room, only to find Iza standing in the doorway with her chosen food carton in her hands and a curious look on her face.

“Hello darling,” he smiled easily enough, holding the disc out to her. “Thank you.”

“Mhm,” taking the disc, Iza leaned against the doorway and raised an eyebrow, plucking a mixture of meat and vegetables from the carton with her fingers to drop it into her mouth. Chewing slowly, she gave him an unreadable look and swallowed before speaking. “Something you want to tell me, Kenobi?”

He felt his stomach drop out from under him, a cold sensation curling up like smoke into his chest. _Force_. Had she overheard the conversation? Judging by the way he could feel her struggling to keep herself calm, she definitely had.

“Darling—”

“How much of this _assignment_ is just the two of you looking for a new bed partner?” Her tone remained casual as ever as she continued to eat with her fingers. It was hard to watch simply because Obi-Wan knew she had the decency to eat like a lady; _honestly_ —she spent too much time with those Clones. “I’m surprised you can share with the way you fight over the _idea_ of which one of you had their eye on me first.”

“Iza,” he wanted to sit her down and explain. There _was_ some truth to the assignment that they were on. They _were_ looking for someone with separatist ties that needed to be brought in before they could do more harm. And they _had_ needed her for a lot of the searching they would need to do. But—Anakin and Obi-Wan had agreed that it would be beneficial to at least _see_ if Iza had the potential to become a bedmate. “Darling, please listen to me.”

“You won’t make me give him up,” shrugging her shoulders with a _nasty_ smile, she popped another piece of food into her mouth and fixed him with eyes that were _cold_. “Catcher belongs to me. He’ll stay with me after this war is over and nothing short of death will take him from me. Not my Master, not the Order, not Anakin, and certainly not _you_. I don’t care how amazing your dick is— _it’s not happening_.”

Yep. That’s what he’d expected to happen. It was what had happened with Aayla—although under very different circumstances. With Aayla, there’d been another barrier they hadn’t been able to break. The Jedi Master had found _love_ with her Commander. Iza seemed to cherish this _Catcher_ with her whole heart, but in a completely different manner. Obi-Wan supposed that if he’d fought so hard to keep someone alive, he’d behave this way as well.

“Would we be able to work something out?” He asked tentatively, half expecting her to throw what was left of the food in the carton at him. Instead, he got a snort and another shrug.

“That’s not up to _me_.” Her smile was as nasty as ever. “Catcher doesn’t like to share. He’s a mean bastard, that Clone.”

“Sounds like Anakin,” Obi-Wan muttered, running his fingers through his hair. Heaving another sigh, he looked her over and pressed his lips together tight. “We do not have to discuss this now.”

“Oh, but we _do_.” Closing the container, Iza sucked the remnants of sauce from her fingers and pointed at him. “Because both of you fuckers lied to me. And if you want some sort of _partnership_ out of me—that shit isn’t going to fly.”

Normally, he’d scold her for swearing so much. But Obi-Wan couldn’t be bothered right now. She had every right to be angry with them and he knew it. At least Anakin would be spared of this until they returned to the city. Then again, if she was the type to let herself stew in her anger, there was a good chance the boy would face a side of her that Obi-Wan would not. It was hard to tell; he still wasn’t able to get a good read on how she was feeling at the moment.

“I don’t do _feelings_.” She said in that flat tone of hers, rubbing rather distractedly at one of her naked breasts. “If one of you starts getting too _mushy_ about it, I’m out. I don’t care which one of you it is—I’m done.”

“That’s… fair.” They were Jedi; _feelings_ were not supposed to be priority in any situation, anyway.

“Catcher comes first.” Iza looked him dead in the eye when she said it. “He was there before either of you even so much as sniffed in my direction. He takes priority.”

 _That_ was going to be difficult. Mostly because of Anakin and his possessiveness. Obi-Wan was willing to let Iza have her sexual freedom if she remained loyal, and it seemed as though she would be as long as her terms were met.

“I can agree to that. You will have to convince Anakin.” He warned, giving her a look. “And do not be surprised when he fights you on it.”

“He can fight all he wants. It’s non-negotiable. I’m sure the two of you have terms that are non-negotiable as well.” Folding her arms, she rolled her eyes and scowled. “I have one more.”

He waved his hand as permission for her to continue.

“No more of this fucking _fighting_ over me. After I give Anakin what he wants, we do this in threes.”

That shocked him. And made his trousers uncomfortably tight on top of it. It wasn’t as though he and Anakin were strangers to threesomes; they’d had _plenty_ with Aayla and with the few scattered one-nighters they’d had up until this point. Still, he hadn’t expected something like that out of Iza. Kinky little brat she seemed to be, he wasn’t sure she was ready for something like _that_. Staring at her for a long moment, he cleared his throat and turned a hand up.

“That’s doable.”

“Good.” Smiling sarcastically, Iza turned with a mocking roll of her hips and headed back into the other room. “We can discuss your half of the terms when Anakin is around. I’m sure he’ll have some that he’ll want to throw in.”

He would; Anakin didn’t have a _list_ , and he wasn’t so hellbent on rules like Obi-Wan, but there would be things that he’d expect out of the arrangement that Iza would either object to or be entirely compliant with. Following after her, Obi-Wan watched as she tossed the empty container onto the bed beside the rest of the food and rooted around in her travel bag for clothes.

“You needn’t rush,” he said softly, watching her look back over her shoulder.

“Anakin sounded insistent.” She didn’t want to put anything on that would cling to her lower half. Her backside _ached_ like no one’s business and she was sure that if she checked herself in a mirror, there’d be a collage of bruises decking her skin. “Let me borrow a pair of your pants.”

“What?”

“They’re larger than mine,” she gestured and then pointed to the damage he’d done. “I’d like to not have to endure the feeling of anything _touching_ me, if I can help it.”

“Darling,” he wasn’t sure how to say this without possibly angering her. “My hips are narrower than yours. I don’t think they’ll fit properly.”

“Fine,” no, she wasn’t offended; that much was clear when she turned and continued to root through the bag until she found one of the skirts that wasn’t nearly as sheer as the rest. “This will have to do.”

“Beneath your robes?”

“What else, Obi-Wan?”

“Well,” going to where he’d set his bag down, he sifted through it and produced one of the tunics he’d packed. “You may not fit into my trousers, but this should be fine. It would look better than the robes.”

“I’m not exactly worried about my fashion sense being called into question after what you put me in last night.” Taking the tunic with a nod of thanks, Iza pulled it on over her head and hummed lightly. It wasn’t quite as snug as she would’ve liked a tunic to be, but it would do. The skirt was pulled on next and she mulled over the choice of whether or not to wear her normal boots or the stupidly high ones with all of the ridiculous closures. Deciding that functionality was probably the better way to go, she went to grab her everyday boots and paused when she noticed that Obi-Wan was watching her. “What?”

“Going somewhere?”

“Out.” Shrugging, she picked her shoes up from where they sat in the corner and carefully sat down on the bed to pull them on. “ _Alone_ , thanks.”

“I’m… not sure that’s…”

“You promised.” Green eyes shifted to give him a hard look before flicking away again while she strung up the laces of her boots.

“I did.”

“I’m not leaving until I at least talk to her.” Tugging the laces tight before knotting them, Iza chewed her tongue. “It’s only fair after the sithspit you two just pulled.”

Obi-Wan looked like he wanted to object but wasn’t going to. She was right; even if she hadn’t overheard the conversation, he’d fully intended to give her time to seek out Asajj. He just wanted to be able to tell her that instead of make her think that she wouldn’t have the chance. Nodding slowly, he went over to the bed to gather up the rest of the cartons he’d brought in.

“Be safe,” he advised, giving her a look when she stole the tiniest glance at him over her shoulder. “I shall leave my communicator on if you need me.”

“I won’t.” Getting to her feet, she picked up her belt to fasten it around her waist, clipping her lightsaber in place and slipping her comm disc into its pouch. “But I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Don’t… don’t go back to that bar, Iza,” Obi-Wan watched the brunette as she stared over at him and tilted her head curiously. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat. “She wouldn’t be there at this hour. And it’s not safe for you to be there alone. Please, stay away from there.”

“Trust me, Obi-Wan,” snorting, the brunette smirked lightly. “I never want to go back to that place again. I don’t care if that woman _owns_ it. I’ve never been to a more uncomfortable place in my life.”

His features softened quite dramatically as he looked at her, a sense of guilt washing over him. He _had_ noted how tense she’d been in the bar the night before, but chalked it up to being paraded around nearly nude. They’d gone to similar bars already, but nothing quite so eccentric. And after her experience with the grabby bastard who had ignored the rules of the collar around her neck, he supposed he could understand why she wouldn’t want to go back to a place like that. Crossing over to where she stood, Obi-Wan hesitated before brushing the hair off of her face and planting a kiss to her brow.

“I’m sorry, darling,” he ran his fingers into her hair and palmed the side of her head. He half expected her to shove him off, especially after her _no feelings_ rant. Instead, she surprised him by leaning further into the touch and shutting her eyes with a heavy sigh. He was even more surprised when her soft hands came to rest against the sides of his face, pulling him down just a fraction until their lips met. There was the faintest hint of hesitation in her kiss, but it was still every bit as passionate as the ones they’d shared the night before. Unsure whether or not he was allowed to loop his arm around her, Obi-Wan settled for lightly twisting her hair around his fingers and pressing in closer. He would let her break away when she wanted, fighting back the urge he had to follow and keep her in place.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.” Iza absently ran her tongue along her bottom lip and tilted her head to get him to loosen his hold on her hair. “Please do not come searching for me unless I call you.”

“I will stay put.” He promised, chuckling before stealing another small kiss. Backing away to let her pass, Obi-Wan was surprised when she brushed her fingers along his chest as she moved by him. There’d really been no need for her to touch him, yet she’d done so anyway. There was something about the way she’d done it that made him wonder if her insistence of no attachments had more to do with convincing herself not to form them. He wouldn’t get the chance to ask before she was leaving the hotel room, taking the sweet smell of malreaux rose with her.

~*~*~*~

Iza hadn’t expected her search to be easy, but she also hadn’t planned for it to be so damn difficult either. Maybe she should’ve left the lightsaber at the hotel. It seemed as though most people didn’t want to even talk to her because of it. She wasn’t even wearing her damn Jedi robes and still, these scumlords managed to sniff out the fact that she was a Knight. She really didn’t want to have to start looking down towards the seedier parts of the city where Obi-Wan had taken her. She’d said she wouldn’t go near that bar again and she _wanted_ to stick to her word. But she also wanted to find Asajj before they left and she never had another chance to speak with her outside of a battlefield again. Finding herself outside of yet another damn bar, Iza hoped she had enough credits left in her pocket to bribe someone into talking. She’d have to start bullying people around after they ran out.

The inside of the place was dark and smelled of smoke and something musty. She wasn’t sure if it was radiating off of one of the patrons or if it was just the building itself, but the scent was sickening to her senses and if she didn’t have a purpose here, she likely would’ve just walked right back out. She felt eyes on her as she strolled in and wandered straight up to the bar, leaning up against the counter to wait on the bartender who was busy with someone else on the other side. Her eyes shifted around the dark room slowly, taking in the various faces of those who’d bothered to look in her direction, and she almost didn’t register the feeling of darkness in her core before a warm body pressed into her from behind.

“You’ve been looking for me,” that low, rumbling feminine purr sounded in Iza’s ear and made her exhale harshly. “Why?”

“I want to talk,” _man_ , her throat was dry. She was almost too intimidated to turn her head and look at the other woman, but the brush of fingertips against her neck pulled her attention to her anyway.

“What has he done to you?” Ice-blue eyes narrowed at the sight of the bruised ring around Iza’s neck and the brunette had to take a moment before she could speak.

“It’s not what you think.” She didn’t know _what_ Ventress was thinking. She could barely manage her own thoughts the longer the taller woman rubbed at her skin. “Can we go somewhere?”

A hairless brow quirked high on Asajj’s forehead as she studied the younger girl and carefully shifted around so she was no longer pinning her to the bar. Propping her elbow on the counter, she rested her cheek against her knuckles and traced her eyes over the Jedi’s form slowly. That tunic didn’t belong to her; the shoulders were too broad and there was no definition for the waist, no matter how much she’d tried to cinch it with the belt. The skirt was a nice touch, though. She had lovely legs for someone of her height. Her face was still slightly rounded with the telltale sign of her youth—she wondered faintly where the scar had come from—and was pretty to look at. That hair of hers looked like it’d be fun to play with, too.

Asajj wanted to sigh; the young ones were tempting, but she had a feeling _this_ one would come with a fair share of trouble. _Especially_ if she had ties to Kenobi.

“No.” She answered flatly, turning to signal the man behind the bar.

“Why not?” _Oh_. That sweet little voice was so _pitiful_.

“I think you already know the answer to that, little one.”

“I’ve spent all day trying to find you!” Did she _have_ to pout? Asajj hated it when they pouted. It was such a disgusting display of unnecessary emotion, really. “You can’t spare me a few minutes?”

“Your Master would disapprove.” Ordering two drinks, Asajj took note of the way the Force energy around the girl was fluctuating. _Curious_ ; most Jedi her age would have a firm grip on their emotional control.

“He’s not—he _said_ I could,” she was frustrated; the feeling flowed through her like warm water and made the other woman frown lightly to herself. “And even if he hadn’t, he doesn’t _own_ me.”

Nudging the second glass towards the young Jedi, Asajj picked hers up and took a small sip, sucking her teeth shortly after. This place wasn’t known for having the best liquor, but it’d do.

“I don’t want to doubt you, but I find it difficult to believe that Kenobi would willingly allow you to associate with _me_.”

“You said yourself that if I was a _good girl_ he might let us play together.” Iza wouldn’t touch the drink; not yet.

Turning to look back at the brunette, Asajj straightened and squinted lightly. She _had_ said that, hadn’t she? Granted, she’d been in a different mood the night before. And this poor little doll had been in a predicament that she never should have been left in to begin with. Still—the idea that Kenobi had given his permission for the girl to actively look for her boggled her mind a bit. Not to mention, left her with a foul taste in her mouth.

“I’m no longer interested.” There. Maybe that would get the brat off her back. “Sorry, little one.”

Or, perhaps, it would earn her the _saddest_ look she’d ever seen on someone she wasn’t about to slaughter. _Ugh_ , did she really have to do that? It made her look even more pathetic than she already did by wandering around the city looking for her. If she had any sense, she’d leave and not look back.

“What if _I_ am?”

“I said _no_.”

“It’s because of Obi-Wan, isn’t it?” Now the girl’s fingers would take up the drink and Asajj watched with impressed eyes as she swallowed down the liquor like it was nothing more than water. Who’d taught her how to drink this way? Surely not the _Jedi._ “Because the two of you have some sort of—”

“Finish that sentence and you’ll regret ever having crossed my path.” The taller woman warned, shooting her a look. “My business with Kenobi is none of your concern.”

The poor thing looked like she wanted to cry. If the prickling feeling Asajj was reading from her was anything to go by, she was on the verge of doing just that. Averting her gaze to something on the other side of the room, the pale woman shut it out and polished off the rest of her glass. She was not going to do this; she wouldn’t cave to another girl who’d decided that she was the most amazing thing they’d ever seen in their life. The Jedi was clearly _confused_ about what she wanted, anyway. Judging by the dark mess of bruises all on her neck and the fact that she could _smell_ Kenobi all over her—this one was marked and Asajj wasn’t interested in touching something that was already tainted by that man.

The loud clatter of credits hitting the counter jolted her out of her thoughts and she turned back to the brunette in time to see her push away from the bar. A cold pinch of disappointment that wasn’t her own was followed by an almost violent rush of anger and it made the other woman’s eyes widen dramatically. _Well_ , that was a first. She’d most certainly expected to be begged for her time, or bargained with. The girl would not have been the first to stoop to such levels to try for her attention. At least she’d been kind enough to pay for her portion of the drinks before skirting off like that. But as she watched her go, Asajj couldn’t help wondering if Kenobi had noticed his little toy’s _defect_. Meek as she appeared to the untrained eye, she had a very aggressive energy about her. Asajj knew it would be something of use to her Master if she chose to pursue it, but she had other targets to take care of. Seducing a Jedi Knight over to _her_ side wasn’t something she felt like pausing her work for.

Pushing thoughts of the girl into the back of her head, Asajj swept the credits from the counter into her palm and smirked faintly when she noted the amount. There was enough here to keep the drinks coming for at least another hour, if she wanted. _Thank you, little one_. With only a glimmer of regret for not hearing the girl out floating around in her head, the woman flagged the bartender down again to order a refill so she could drink it away and forget she’d ever met her. Much like she did with the rest of them.

~*~*~*~

Obi-Wan had not expected Iza to be back so soon, and he certainly hadn’t expected her to come rushing into the hotel room in a flurry of burning anger and sadness. He’d barely had time to voice his surprise at her return before she’d rushed past him and all but thrown herself onto the bed. At first, he worried that she’d somehow been hurt. Maybe she’d been unable to find Ventress and had managed to get into some other sort of trouble instead. That would account for the sadness. But it was the brutal anger he was feeling that bothered him the most. He didn’t immediately approach her, not entirely sure what she might do if he acted on instinct and tried to comfort her. Instead, he cleared his throat and eyed her huddled form.

“Darling?”

“Come here,” her voice sounded tight and it made him frown deeply. “Please?”

He’d already started crossing the room, coming over to crawl onto the bed behind her. Sliding his hand along her back— _Force_ , she was warm—he settled down against the mattress and pulled her into his arms. He was surprised when she grabbed onto his forearms and held on like her life depended on it. Obi-Wan frowned even harder as Iza tucked her face against the mattress, carefully pulling her up and bringing a palm to her cheek to cradle it and nudge her into looking at him. She refused.

“Darling, what’s the matter? What’s happened?”

“She wouldn’t even _talk_ to me,” she sounded so heartbroken; so undeniably _infuriated_. “I know it’s because of you. But—that… it shouldn’t _matter_.”

Obi-Wan winced and was silently glad she couldn’t see it. He’d been afraid that Asajj might turn his young partner away simply because of their association. It had been another unspoken reason he hadn’t wanted Iza to seek her out in the first place.

“Was she cruel?” He hoped not. He’d rather leave this place without having to hunt the Sith down, even just to _talk_.

“She said she wasn’t interested anymore.” Rolling her eyes, Iza shifted and turned over to face him properly, looking defeated as hell. “Is it because of _you_ or because she knows I’m a Jedi?”

“I assure you—neither of those things have ever stopped her in the past.” He had a feeling he shouldn’t have said that. The way Iza’s face fell dramatically made his chest clench. “Darling, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“Can we leave?” Her fingers curled in the front of his robes and she leaned in to rest her head against his chest. That blistering sensation of anger was bleeding away and leaving behind more sadness than Obi-Wan wanted her to feel. “I would like to go back, please.”

“We can go back.” He kissed her forehead and ran soothing palms along her back, wishing to the stars he’d held his damn tongue. “Let’s gather our things and go.”

~*~*~*~

Iza had been quiet the entire trip back to the main city, which didn’t surprise Obi-Wan in the slightest. He’d been happy to let her sit in his lap on the shuttle with her head tucked beneath his chin so long as they both kept their lightsabers out of view of the other passengers. _Canoodling_ Jedi were typically frowned upon, after all. She’d remained silent until they got to their rented home where Anakin looked startled to see them back so soon. He’d fully expected them to be back later in the evening and he rolled out of his seat with concern evident on his face when Iza bypassed him without a single glance or greeting. After the way she’d behaved before leaving, he’d thought she might rush to him in her excitement to see him again. But she looked tired, _defeated_. What the hell had happened?

“Obi-Wan?” Turning to his Master once the girl was behind the door of her room, he raised an eyebrow and got a heavy sigh in return.

“It’s not my doing.” He knew he should’ve taken the blame. Telling Anakin that Iza had become temporarily infatuated with Ventress was a _bad_ idea. “I’m afraid she’s discovered the discomfort of rejection.”

“Rejection?” Anakin blinked, confused. “Who…?”

“It’s probably best if I do not say. For her privacy’s sake.” Setting their bags down next to the couch, the elder Jedi sat down and ran his fingers through his hair. “Has Mace returned to Coruscant or do we need to worry about another visit?”

“I believe he’s gone back.” Looking over to the closed door, Anakin pressed his lips together tightly. “Master—”

“Please leave her be, Anakin,” Obi-Wan was in no mood to mediate a fight. “Let her come to you.”

Nodding almost reluctantly, the younger man reclaimed his seat on the couch and rested his elbows on his knees, steepling his fingers and pressing the tips to his mouth. After a few silent moments, he flinched and turned to give his Master a wide-eyed look.

“You’ve _bonded_ her.”

Obi-Wan set startled blue eyes on his partner before his features twisted in a slight scowl.

“ _I said leave it_.”

“Has she agreed to our terms, then?” Anakin was more interested in whether or not his Master had been successful in recruiting the young Jedi to their _partnership_ than what that bond would mean. Obi-Wan had always been a closet dominant; he needed to have control over the situation, whether anyone realized it or not.

“We’ve yet to discuss it. She wanted to wait until we were in your company.” A smirk lifted the corner of his mustache. “She _did_ set her own terms, however.”

“And what would those be?”

“You won’t like them.” Turning a hand up, Obi-Wan waved it lightly and let it drop into his lap. “But I’ve already agreed to let her have them.”

“Of course you did.” Laughing, Anakin sat back and draped his arms along the back of the couch. “Go on. Tell me.”

“No feelings—she threatened to leave if either of us, er, _gets mushy_. Her Clone comes first and it’s non-negotiable. I agreed because we know what happened _last time_.” He did _not_ need a repeat and he was sure that, even as jealous as he could be, even Anakin could agree with that. “And her third—after the two of you have your solo time, she wants to strictly do this _in threes_.”

“Threes?”

 _Of course_ that would be the one the boy hung onto.

“Her reasoning is that she’s tired of us fighting. I don’t think she realizes that this is just how it is.” Obi-Wan laughed quietly and shook his head. “But—if that’s what it will take…”

“When she said the Clone comes first…”

“I imagine it means we’re not allowed to tell her she can’t keep him as a partner. I believe she said he takes priority.”

Anakin sighed heavily, looking very much like he wanted to disagree with that. Iza could swear up and down for all of eternity that she didn’t have _some_ semblance of feelings for her Commander, but her actions spoke otherwise. And even if her words were true, it was quite possible that the Clone was harboring secret feelings for _her_. It could cause complications down the road, but perhaps relenting would be the best course of action just this once.

“I guess…” rubbing his brow, the younger Jedi made a face. “And you’re okay with this?”

“Do I have any other choice, Anakin?”

“There’s always a choice, Master.”

“You’re the one who picked her, Anakin,” smiling faintly, Obi-Wan propped his cheek against his knuckles, studying Anakin silently. “I would’ve thought you’d done a better job of making sure she had no prior attachments.”

“I didn’t know.” He shrugged. “I just knew she spent a lot of time at the base. Rex gave me as much intel as he could. He never mentioned that she was so close to her Commander. But it’s highly likely that he wasn’t aware.”

“Rex is a very perceptive man,” snorting, Obi-Wan got to his feet and went to the counter where they were keeping the liquor to pour himself a small glass. Noting that there seemed to be even less left in the bottle than he remembered, he frowned and held it up. “The two of you are ridiculous.”

“That was not me, Master.” Anakin insisted, holding his hands up. “Master Windu helped himself.”

 _Fantastic_.

“As I was saying—Rex is perceptive. He probably knew more than he was willing to say for the sake of keeping his brother out of trouble. Not to mention a Jedi.”

“He _would_ do that, wouldn’t he?” Rex had been known to hide things from him on occasion, even when Anakin had good intentions with the information. It was admirable, if not a little frustrating. “Do you think maybe _she_ interfered?”

“It’s likely.”

“Funny. I wouldn’t have pinned her as being so… _sneaky_.”

“I wouldn’t pin her for a good ninety-percent of the things she’s done over the last week and a half.” Obi-Wan snorted into his glass and leaned against the counter. “She’s full of surprises, that one.”

Anakin smiled and started to say something when there was a yell from the other room, followed by the crash of something hitting the wall. Behind him, Obi-Wan seemed to jerk horribly before setting his glass down and hurrying across the room to get the bedroom door open. Surprisingly, Iza had left it unlocked. The girl sat in the center of the room among the scattered pieces of what looked like her communicator disc, her face buried in her hands and a sickening sense of anger, sadness and _pain_ resonating from her to choke anyone who entered the room.

“Darling?” Coming to kneel beside her, Obi-Wan cupped her shoulders and tried to get her to look at him. “What is—”

“He’s taken him from me!” Her hands came down violently against her thighs, fists pounding hard enough to bruise. “Master Windu sent Catcher to another… _he’s gone, Obi-Wan!_ ”

“ _Oh,_ ” gentle palms came up to cradle her reddening face, but his thumbs weren’t quick enough to stop the tears streaking down her cheeks. “Oh, my darling girl,”

“He won’t tell me,” she punched her thighs again, squeezing her eyes shut. “He won’t say _where_. The communicator wouldn’t work. He’s taken him from me.”

Pulling her against his chest, he grunted when she tried to hit herself again. Dropping his hands to her wrists, he held onto them and brought them to his lips, doing his best to get her to look at him. Her pain was killing him; his whole being ached from the inside out and he felt like he was going to be sick.

“Darling,” the wave of nausea was almost too much to bear. “Look at me. Please.”

Iza pried her eyes open, sucking in choppy breaths as more tears poured down her face. She looked lost; felt lost. The bond between them intensified this feeling and he wasn’t sure he could do anything to stem that ache for her.

“We will do everything in our power to get him back to you,” he insisted, nodding rapidly. “Anakin and I will—”

“ _I don’t fucking **care** what your orders are, Rex!_” Anakin’s roar startled them both as it filled the room. His heavy footsteps followed, bringing with it the bright blue glow of his holo-communicator as he shoved the miniature version of the Clone Captain in front of Iza. “ _Look at her!_ Look what Windu is doing to her!”

“Anakin—” Obi-Wan didn’t think parading Iza’s pain in front of others was a good idea, even if it would be effective.

“General,” the blond looked torn and sympathetic. His dark eyes surveyed the woman in front of him before shifting back to Anakin. “I’m under strict—”

“ _You take orders from no one but **me** , Rex._” Snarling through clenched teeth, Anakin’s tight grip threatened to crush the disc. “ _Where_ is Commander Catcher?”

Again, Rex looked between the two, remaining silent.

“ _Please?_ ” Iza whined, making him twist his head to look at her. “Rex… you know what he means to me. You know how unfair this is… _please?_ ”

“ _Kriffing hell_ ,” rubbing a hand over his face, the blond waved it and didn’t look at anyone in the room. “General Plo has him.”

“Then General Plo will just have to give him back.” Anakin growled, watching his friend snort.

“It’s not that easy, General. Once we’re reassigned, that’s typically where we stay.”

“He wasn’t Master Windu’s to reassign!” Iza snapped, breaking free of Obi-Wan’s grip to give her already aching legs another smack. “He was _my_ responsibility!”

“Jedi Tacor,” Obi-Wan was trying to save face in front of the Clone Captain and she knew it, but there was something so disheartening about not hearing him call her _darling_ when she was spiraling like this. “I promise that we will get this sorted.”

“We have to go back to Coruscant.” Iza tried to get to her feet only to have him stop her. “ _Master, please_ ,”

“We have not finished our assignment.” He looked like he regretted very much having to say that to her.

The look of utter betrayal that crossed Iza’s face broke his fucking heart. He hoped she knew that he didn’t want to do this to her; if anything, he’d love nothing more than to take her home and let her get her Commander back. Yanking her hand away from him, she crawled back a ways before getting up and looked at Anakin.

“Ani?”

“Rex,” his tone was dark, the look in his eyes sharp and focused as it looked through the form of the Captain and straight into her soul. “I want that man transferred into Torrent Company as soon as possible. I don’t want to hear any shit about Master Windu and his orders or _protocol_. If anyone has anything to say about it—I’ll take it up personally with the Chancellor.” Pausing, he worked his jaw for a moment and added, “The Star Squad is to be transferred to the 501st as well. No excuses. I don’t care what strings need to be pulled— _pull them_.”

“Sir,” Rex looked like he wanted to object. That was a _lot_ to ask. The Captain knew that his General had a lot of pull with the Chancellor and could likely get these things granted without fuss, but he wasn’t sure he wanted him to go through the trouble. He’d try to get the work done on his own first. If that didn’t work, then they’d take it up as a Plan B.

“Just do it.” Ending the transmission, Anakin pocketed the communicator and exhaled harshly through his nose. Between the raw emotion still emanating from Iza, and the ridiculous anger that had filled the room once Anakin had stepped inside, Obi-Wan was having a _very_ hard time keeping his head and stomach steady.

“You two,” he huffed out a breath and got to his feet, shutting his eyes. “You need to calm yourselves. _Quickly_.”

Anakin was the first to relax, though a small amount of his anger remained. It couldn’t be helped. Iza, on the other hand, had a tougher time pushing back her feelings. There were just so many bubbling to the surface at once and she couldn’t seem to settle on just one. Even when Obi-Wan reached along the link to try and help settle her nerves, she couldn’t focus herself entirely. He supposed that as long as she wasn’t causing the entire damn room to feel like a sauna, it wouldn’t matter. Muttering something about getting drinks, the older man vacated the room and left the two standing, still staring at one another.

It took about two seconds of him being gone for Iza to rush across the space between them and throw her arms around Anakin’s middle. His hands were already coming up to rest against the sides of her face as he bent to meet the kiss she stood on her toes to give him. It was surprisingly sweet—if not a bit rushed and breathless—and he tasted her gratitude through the salt of tears on her lips. Honestly, it’d been the devastated sound of her voice that had done him in. While he’d definitely been sitting back and selfishly contemplating whether her term to keep Catcher would be worth it in the long run, he couldn’t deny that it was better to let her have it than to see her so damn heartbroken. He found he didn’t _care_ what sort of attachment she might have to him; if she was as loyal to him and Obi-Wan as she was to the Clone in the end, then that was what would matter the most.

“Thank you,” she whispered against his lips, holding tight to the back of his tunic. “You don’t know what this means to me, Anakin.”

“I think I have a pretty good idea,” running his gloved fingertips down her cheek, he kissed her forehead and let his lips linger there. “I will speak to General Plo. He is a very understanding man. I have no doubt that he’ll be willing to make the move.”

“I don’t understand why he’d do this,” letting out a half-sob, Iza dropped her gaze to the front of Anakin’s tunic and distractedly ran her fingers over the material. “I’ve done nothing wrong. _Catcher_ has done nothing wrong.”

“Your communicator line is private, right?” Frowning, he watched her for a moment, intercepting a few tears as they trickled down her cheeks.

“Yes. We never use the military communications.”

“He does not keep… imagery of you on his communicator, does he?”

Iza’s face went scarlet and she brought her hands up to cover her mouth, eyes widening when she looked up at him.

“I sent a few coded transmissions the other day when I couldn’t reach him. Something to keep him company while he was out on the line.” They hadn’t been _terribly_ lewd, but definitely not something he would show the other members of the Squad. “Do you think someone saw?”

“When was the last time you spoke to him?”

“I…” she counted on her fingers and frowned hard. “A week ago. But it’s not uncommon for him to go to radio silence, so I didn’t think…”

The look on Anakin’s face was enough for her to start panicking again and as Iza’s breathing started to become more erratic, he jolted to attention and took her face in his hands again.

“Hey, _hey_ —” leveling his gaze with hers Anakin pressed quick, tiny kisses to her lips. “It’s okay. Everything is _okay_. We’ve got it handled, sweetness. He will be where he’s supposed to be when we get back to Coruscant. I promise.”

“I’ll be cast out. If someone told Master Windu, then the rest of the Council already knows.” Turning her hands up, she shut her eyes and whined when he kissed her again. It wasn’t helping much, but if it made _him_ feel better then she supposed she’d just have to allow it.

“I don’t think that’s the case, darling,” Obi-Wan had returned with two glasses filled with generous portions of whisky, gesturing for the two to sit down on the bed, he handed them over and took a seat in the chair nearby. “We would have been ordered to return to the Tower immediately if you were to face trial. And I likely would’ve received the message, not Anakin.”

Iza knew he was right. Deep down, she _knew_ Obi-Wan was absolutely right about everything. But she couldn’t help worrying that there’d be nothing for her to return to once they got back to Coruscant. If he was wrong and she was made to leave, where would she go? Would they even be able to help? She’d never seen anyone lose their place in the Order who hadn’t willingly left, and those few Jedi had never been seen or heard from again. Clenching her teeth in an effort to keep from letting her anxiety get the better of her, Iza started to knock back the whisky in her hand when Anakin laid a restraining hand on her shoulder.

“Take it easy,” he said softly, giving her a squeeze. “I understand. I do. But that’s not going to help.”

“Anakin,” shutting her eyes, she pressed her lips together tightly. “The only other thing that would help right now is letting me see him. Let me have this.”

“I can think of other ways to help,”

“I don’t _want_ to have sex, Anakin,” getting up from her spot, the brunette set her glass down and cast a look at Obi-Wan. “Can I sleep in your room?”

Both brows went up high before the older Jedi nodded.

“Of course, darling.”

“Are you kidding me?” Anakin looked between the two and got a tired look from Iza in return.

“It’s _not_ like that, Ani— _for fuck’s sake!_ ” That heavy heat of her anger was starting to rise again and this time, it suffocated them both. “Stop behaving like this! You don’t know how grateful I am to you for what you’ve done, but I just want to _sleep_. Please just let me _sleep_.”

“Does it have to be in his room?” He didn’t mean to sound so irritated but he also couldn’t help it. He was feeding off of what she was putting out into the Force and it was hard not to become agitated.

Throwing her hands up, the brunette swore at the top of her lungs and turned to grab her cloak from the floor where she’d dropped it. Checking her pocket for her chip card, she stalked out of the room and snatched up her travel bag, stopping when she heard both men scrambling to follow her.

“Where are you going?” Obi-Wan sounded worried.

“There’s a hotel up the street. I need a fucking _break_.”

“Iza—”

“I can take care of myself.” Turning to go, she jerked to a stop when the familiar pull behind her navel halted her in her tracks. “ _Let me leave!_ ”

“Darling,” Obi-Wan came up behind her and took her hand, pressing his comm disc into her palm. Gazing at her for a long moment, he kissed her between the eyes and released his hold on her. “If you need anything—”

“I won’t.” She muttered, moving to walk around him. “I will be back in the morning. Do not call me unless it’s about Catcher or I will shut this off.”

“Understood.”

“ _Good._ ” Giving them one last look, she huffed in annoyance and stomped out.


	7. Don't Try And Tell Me What A Girl Wants

Perhaps Iza shouldn’t have lied.

Perhaps she should’ve stayed in the hotel that she’d rented for the evening and not gone out to a bar. She most definitely should have been a little more modest about her choice of clothing, and _probably_ should have refrained from having so many drinks that she’d ended up on a table like one of the Twi’lek dancers. And her lightsaber— _that_ should have been concealed better than it was, for sure. It didn’t draw as much attention as she thought it might, but it did earn some interesting looks from a few patrons who’d come to sit down at her table. No Jedi would dare to parade themselves around the way she was this evening. As far as anyone was concerned, she was just another Force user who’d strayed from her path. They didn’t need to know her business.

She only wanted to spend the night away from the two men. Poor Anakin deserved better than this after doing what he’d done for her, but at the same time—she didn’t think she could take much of his jealousy shit on top of the rest of the stress. One night away wouldn’t kill them. She had the communicator if she needed them and she had her lightsaber at her hip because honestly, _she could take care of herself._

She lost count of how many men she rejected in that bar, taking their drinks but not their offers to go somewhere _private_. It was cute how they thought that just because she accepted small talk over cheap liquor that they’d get something out of her. Well— _pathetic_ , really. It made her long for 79’s where she knew that she wouldn’t be bothered because at least the Clones respected her enough as a General not to try anything funny. Most of them, anyway. When she’d decided she’d had enough of the company of these drooling bastards, Iza stepped back out onto the city street, focusing her energy on trying to sober herself up enough to stay alert. The last thing she needed was for some disgruntled patron to attempt something stupid.

As she made her way back to her hotel and contemplated ordering takeaway from a local place Obi-Wan had recently become fond of, she became aware of a presence following behind her. Dark. Definitely up to something. Not really what she was in the mood to deal with. But she only kept walking and diverted her path down a side street just to be sure _she_ was actually the target. When the presence followed, she almost rolled her eyes and let her fingers slip to the lightsaber at her belt, drawing it and turning a little too slowly. She’d barely gotten the thing ignited when the figure that had been following her began to charge and pounced, twin sabers blazing to life in a bright shade of red that lit up the walls around them. The clash of their blades meeting made Iza grunt and drop to her knees, where she forced herself to shove all of her body weight forward to knock the other back. Swinging out, the blade whizzed over the top of the other figure’s head when they ducked and Iza felt something heavy catch her right in the gut, knocking the air out of her lungs.

Stumbling back, she caught herself and shook off the dizziness from all the alcohol she’d consumed. _Damn_. Maybe she’d overdone it this time. Gritting her teeth, she charged forward with a yell and let out a gasp when a hand grabbed the front of the flimsy top she wore, a foot settling flat against her stomach to haul her up and over the head of her attacker. She landed hard on her back, dropping the lightsaber. She wasn’t sure if she’d hit her head or not, but the stars in the sky above her were spinning so rapidly that it made her eyes roll as she tried to steady her vision. Her attention was pulled when the light from those damn sabers got closer and she reached to grab the hilt of the one she’d dropped, barely managing to shove it in front of her as her attacker pounced again, crisscrossing the blades dangerously over her throat.

She’d jammed the unlit hilt up against the abdomen of the figure looming above her, finger hovering over the trigger as she tried to see beyond the bright plasma and get a glimpse of their face. The silvery shimmer of ice-blue eyes gazed at her through the glow once her vision focused enough and Iza felt a jolt of recognition run through her. Anger followed, hot and vicious and sickening, and she pushed the hilt harder against the other woman’s belly.

“Don’t make me do it,” she snapped, giving no thought to the fact that one quick sweep would leave her decapitated in the street. “Get the _fuck_ up.”

“What a _mouth_ ,” Asajj smiled slowly and deactivated her lightsabers, though she stayed in her spot crouched over the older woman. “And here I thought you’d be _happy_ to see me, little one.”

“I’m not happy.” Finding that it was only fair if she moved her lightsaber, Iza shifted it away from the other woman’s belly and sank against the filthy concrete. “Aren’t you supposed to be in—”

“I got bored.”

“How did you even know where to find me?” It was _really_ distracting to have Asajj sitting on top of her like that. In the limited light of the streetlamps, her pale skin seemed to glow and the smile she was giving Iza made her belly burn.

“I have ways.” Eyeing her, Asajj squinted and pursed her lips. “Where are your handlers, little one?”

“Fuck off.” Moving to push her away, the brunette gasped sharply when a strong hand caught her about the wrist and pinned it flat to the pavement. Startled, she fumbled to get her lightsaber lit when Ventress’ other hand clamped down on that wrist as well, bringing it up above her head to hold her in place. The warm weight of her settling down on top of her made something in Iza want to holler.

“You should be nice to me,” dark lips curved in a sinister smile as Asajj tilted her bald head and studied the older girl. “I promise— _I don’t hesitate like you_.”

“You gonna hurt me?” Maybe she shouldn’t have said it so bitterly. “Did you come all this way to knock me around?”

“You drew first.” Shrugging, the younger woman snorted. “I was defending myself.”

“Yeah?”

“ _Yeah._ ”

Drawing in a deep breath, Iza brought her legs up and slipped them beneath Ventress’ arms, hooking her knees against her shoulders and using every ounce of strength she had in them to slam her down onto her back. Once she was free of the other woman’s weight, she rolled forward to sit straight on her chest and pin her. Blue light filled the space of the side street as she reignited her lightsaber and held it up in a threatening manner, watching as Ventress’ eyes went _wide_.

“You _wouldn’t_ ,” she taunted, bringing her hands up to lightly trace her fingers down the sides of Iza’s bare thighs. She laughed when the Jedi shivered, poking her tongue into her cheek and going a little cross-eyed when the blue blade came ridiculously close to her face. “ _Hey_ —watch it with that.”

Above her, Iza was struggling with herself. Half of her wanted to get some payback for being embarrassed in the bar earlier. The other half wanted to know if this was the other woman’s idea of some sort of twisted foreplay.

“You don’t have a clue what I’d do. You don’t know who the fuck I am.”

Asajj grinned wide then, tentatively continuing to skim her fingers over the brunette’s skin. She could feel quite plainly that the little Jedi wouldn’t strike her down, no matter how tough she talked. She was too intoxicated to make that decision and the anger boiling inside of her wasn’t aimed at the Sith woman anyway. Curious, Asajj tilted her head and let her bottom lip graze the girl’s knee.

“Who hurt you, little one?”

Again, the blue light of Iza’s lightsaber faded away and she sat there staring down at the other woman like she didn’t know what to do or what to say. And then she was getting to her feet, swaying so much she needed to brace her hands on a nearby wall so she wouldn’t accidentally trample the other woman. The rush of fabric and soft _tup_ of booted feet hitting the ground was her only warning before Iza found herself pressed up against the wall, one of Asajj’s hands going to restrain the one that held her lightsaber.

“Do not attack me again,” the taller woman warned, her breath hot on Iza’s neck. “Not if you still wish to _talk_ , little one.”

“You turned me away,” the brunette growled out, tightening her hold on the hilt.

“I sought you out, didn’t I?”

Clenching her teeth, Iza gathered as much Force energy as she could to propel herself back from the wall, knocking Ventress away so she could take a few steps back. Pointing the hilt of her lightsaber at her with a shaking arm, the young Jedi shook her head and scowled.

“ _No_ ,” her face was going red; she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and that damned prickling that signaled an unwanted rush of tears. “No I’ve fucking _had it_ tonight! I won’t let you taunt me! _I won’t!_ ”

Looking a little annoyed at having been tossed aside again, Asajj straightened herself and scowled back at the girl. The expression softened to mild irritation upon seeing just how close she appeared to be losing her grip on herself and she wondered just what it was that caused such turmoil inside of her.

“ _Iza_ , isn’t it?” Folding her arms over her chest, she watched the girl flinch. “I assure you—I don’t go out of my way like this just to _taunt_.”

“I don’t…” _Force_ , her head was spinning. She couldn’t seem to gather enough wit to concentrate long enough and push the drunkenness out of her system so she wouldn’t be so damn overwhelmed and dizzy. It all seemed to just turn into more _anger_ and frustration and there was no warning before Iza turned and kicked over a nearby trash receptacle, hollering at the top of her lungs. “ _FUCK!_ ”

That anger of hers was going to be her undoing. Asajj knew from experience. Not to mention the fact that all this screaming and yelling would no doubt attract attention of police droids who would take one look at her and make an attempt to arrest her. Gritting her teeth with a growl, the younger woman stormed forward and snatched Iza by the shoulders, giving her a good slap across the face to jolt her back to reality. The gasp the girl gave was loud, and she looked as though she might raise that lightsaber again and crack Asajj’s skull open with it. But when Iza just jerked herself out of the other woman’s hold, Asajj let her go and frowned hard.

“You need to get yourself off the street.” She warned, pointing. “You’ll get yourself picked up.”

“I’m a _Jedi_ ,” Iza muttered, twisting to try and clip her lightsaber to her belt. “They won’t arrest me.”

“They will if you’re behaving like this.” Why did she care? The girl clearly had _multiple_ issues going on at once and Asajj just wasn’t the type of person to give a shit about other people’s problems. “Where is Kenobi?”

“I’m not _with_ Obi-Wan tonight.” Giving the other woman a tired look, she ran her fingers through her hair and threw her hands out at her sides. “He is not my keeper. I told you before that he does not own me, Asajj. May I call you that? Since you’ve decided to use _my_ name?”

Asajj wasn’t going to tell her how she ought to be addressed as long as she used a _name_ and not some expletive. She was, however, going to step forward again and take hold of Iza’s upper arm and start leading her down the side street, ignoring her protests and dragging her along even as the girl began to dig her heels into the pavement.

“ _Let go!_ You have no right to—”

With a swift flick of her arm, Asajj flung the girl up against the side of a building and pinned her with a palm pressed flat in the center of her chest. Bringing her face down to eye level with Iza’s, she narrowed her eyes harshly and thinned her lips.

“You… are _infuriating_.” Her voice was a soft growl and the hand that rested on Iza’s chest came up to grasp her jaw tight. “You’re not pretty enough to be worth the trouble, but if I know anything about Kenobi he’d find some way to blame _me_ for you getting arrested. Now—be a good girl and _behave_.”

“Just let me go,” boy, this one really had that pitiful act down, didn’t she? “I can find my own way back.”

“I think not,” giving Iza’s jaw a light squeeze, Asajj kept her gaze steady and focused on the green irises in front of her. If she reached hard enough, maybe she could find what was troubling this little nymph so terribly. She didn’t plan on the fist that cracked her upside the head with such force that it sent her stumbling to the side, nearly tripping on her own two feet. Grasping at her face, she grunted in pain and shot Iza a filthy look. “And _what_ was _that_ for?!”

“Do _not_ …” the anger inside of the girl was so intense and violent that Asajj would’ve mistaken it for Dark Side energy had she not known she was a Jedi. “You stay the _fuck_ out of my head!”

The two women stared each other down for a long, tense moment—but it was Asajj who made the first move. Absolutely livid that she’d been struck so hard, she swung out to retaliate and barely caught herself before her knuckles kissed the building as Iza ducked and jammed her elbow into her gut. Doubling over, Ventress caught the heel of a boot against her side and went down hard, bringing a hand up to knock the brunette back a few feet with a blast of Force energy. Iza skid along the pavement painfully, feeling the telltale burn of road rash on her bare skin when she came to a stop. Picking herself up, the Jedi practically ripped her lightsaber from its hook on her belt, squeezing it to life and dashing forward only to be stopped halfway by the sensation of something tightening harshly around her neck.

Kicking her toes a little as she was lifted from the ground, Iza sputtered and coughed as she reached her free hand up to claw at the invisible fingers around her throat. She felt herself drifting forward like she was being pulled, and fought harder, kicking her legs out and giving garbled yells. The pressure only eased when she was hauled flush against a feminine body; taut with muscle but soft in the right places. Her toes touched the floor again and the invisible fingers were replaced by physical ones that gave a hard squeeze of warning just before plush lips smothered hers. She damn near dropped her lightsaber from the shock of the kiss and almost brandished it blindly when Asajj’s free hand covered hers and switched it off. She felt the other woman take it, felt the familiar drop of it being clipped to her belt, and then gasped when she was pulled in tighter and kissed harder.

Iza didn’t know what to do, didn’t know where to put her hands. She didn’t know if she was even allowed to touch the other woman. Hell, she was still reeling from the idea that they were just about to try and kill each other; this had been the _last_ thing she’d expected. But _Maker_ —she was good at this. Asajj’s kisses were as dizzying and drugging as the alcohol she’d had at the bar, but they came with the benefit of leaving her body with a far more pleasant tingle. The gentle drag of teeth over her bottom lip made her whimper and she heard a deep chuckle rumble in the other woman’s throat. When they broke away, Asajj kept her lips close to Iza’s, smiling when the girl tried to lean in again.

“I understand what Kenobi sees in you,” she said quietly, dragging the tip of her tongue along Iza’s lower lip. “He likes ‘em _mean_.”

“Don’t talk about him,” finally finding the nerve to settle her hands on Asajj’s slender waist, Iza gave a short whine when her throat was squeezed again. _Clearly_ someone wanted to let her know who was in charge; as if she needed to be reminded. “…what now?”

“Now you tell me where you’re staying, little one,” those ice-blue eyes were mesmerizing to look at. Paired with the sound of Asajj’s voice, Iza was easily hypnotized and lulled into a sense of ease.

“Up the street. Hotel on the corner.”

“By yourself?” The younger woman tilted her head, loosening her hold on the Jedi’s throat to stroke her chin.

“For tonight, yes.”

Humming to herself, Asajj seemed to mull something over before luring Iza into another deep kiss, almost laughing at the way the girl began to paw at her hips.

“You’ve never done this, have you?”

Iza didn’t want to answer that. She knew Asajj would be able to figure it out on her own anyway, but it was almost embarrassing to admit it. Mostly because she still didn’t quite understand how she could be attracted to another woman so strongly when she’d never had any experience with one before. The kiss to her cheek pulled her out of her thoughts and the brunette pouted when the other woman backed away, eliciting a soft _tut_ from Asajj.

“You are _pitiful_ , little one,” pinching Iza’s chin, she shook her head and gave her a nudge. “Walk. Don’t make me tell you twice.”

Iza did as she was told, acutely aware of the hand that came to rest against her lower back. She tried not to hiss at the way Asajj’s palm rubbed against the scraped up skin there and focused on leading the way to the hotel she was staying at. Once they’d reached it, the taller woman seemed to hesitate near the door. It was only when Iza shot her a questioning glance that she rolled her eyes and gave her a shove, indicating that she needed to continue on inside. Both women headed inside and up the single flight of stairs to the floor Iza was staying on, and the Jedi noticed that Asajj kept looking back over her shoulder while they made their way to her room.

“I haven’t lied to you,” the brunette murmured as she dug around in her hip pouch for the passcard to her room. “I’m completely alone up here.”

“I believe you,” silver-blue eyes flicked over the damage done to Iza’s bared skin. “But it’s not good for my image to be seen with a Jedi.”

“Not good for mine to be seen with a Sith.” Swiping the card, Iza got the door open and slipped inside with Ventress at her heels. She didn’t know what she expected to happen the minute the door closed, but she certainly hadn’t predicted being steered towards the washroom. “What are you doing?”

“You’re a mess,” Asajj muttered bitterly. “There’s blood and filth all over you.”

Looking down at herself as she was dragged into the washroom, Iza took note of just how badly she’d been scratched up during their tussle. Her skirt was torn in several places and the scrapes on her legs looked nasty. The rest of it appeared to just be dirt and whatever else was on the ground. Well, that would teach her to engage in combat wearing such a silly outfit.

“Sit,” pointing to the edge of the tub, Asajj plucked one of the fluffy hand towels from a shelf above the toilet and went to soak it beneath the tap, watching as Iza just stared at her. “Have you gone deaf? _Sit_.”

Iza sat immediately, resting her hands in her lap and looking up at the younger woman expectantly. With a roll of her eyes Asajj came over and knelt in front of her, eyeing up the wounds again before deciding to start with the ones on her shins first.

“I don’t suppose you have any first aid supplies?” Glancing up briefly as she dabbed the soft cloth against the tender skin, Asajj watched Iza shake her head and huffed out a sigh. “Of course.”

As she watched the younger woman tend to the wounds that—honestly—weren’t even that bad, Iza couldn’t keep from studying her face. In the blinding light of the washroom, it was much easier to see her features and the tattoos adorning her skin. She really was beautiful. As she was mapping the curves and hollows of Asajj’s face with her eyes, Iza noticed the way the left side was swelling from where she’d hit her. Cold guilt filled her belly when she realized that the spot was already beginning to bruise and without thinking, she reached up and lightly brushed a crooked finger against the mark. Asajj flinched and smacked the girl’s hand away, giving her an annoyed scowl as her free hand squeezed the cloth hard enough to make water drip down Iza’s thigh.

Once more they found themselves locked in a tense staredown that neither seemed willing to break. Finally, Ventress’ lips thinned and she shook her head, muttering something under her breath before going back to dabbing at Iza’s skinned knee.

“I’m sorry,” the brunette whispered.

“Shut up.”

“I shouldn’t have—”

“If you keep talking, I will break your fingers.” The other woman warned, shooting Iza a look. “I don’t want your pity or your apologies.”

“What _do_ you want, Asajj?”

A huff of a laugh escaped the Sith and she shrugged, turning her attention back to the wounds she was cleaning.

“You’re too drunk and too inexperienced for what I want.”

“I can learn.”

“Not tonight.”

Iza made a frustrated sound and brushed Asajj’s hands away from her, resulting in the other woman giving her a hard look before attempting to continue anyway. When she was swatted a second time, the younger woman snatched what remained of Iza’s skirt and tore it away, grabbing the girl’s wrists and binding them behind her back with the material. Pointing a long finger in her face, she narrowed her eyes and growled quietly,

“ _Don’t test me_.”

“What do you care if I’ve had a few drinks?” Iza grumbled, wishing that the woman hadn’t bound her up so tight.

A look of disbelief crossed Ventress’ features before she set her hands down firmly on the Jedi’s legs and stared her directly in the eye.

“I’m allowed _some_ morals, little one. Was I not the one who came to your rescue last night because of _that_ kind of filth?” Searching Iza’s face, she shook her head and got to her feet to rinse out the rag. “If you’re going to try something new, you should be sober enough to enjoy it.”

“I’m sober enough to kick the shit out of you.”

In the mirror, Asajj made a face like she was trying hard not to smirk. Even from behind Iza could see her jaw working to keep her mouth still and her features stoic. She watched the other woman’s pale hands as they wrung the cloth out needlessly and heard Asajj sigh heavily.

“Which one of us is having our wounds tended to, little one?”

“I’ve had worse.”

“I wasn’t trying to kill you.” Turning back to Iza, Asajj pursed her lips and moved to reclaim her spot in front of her. The cold press of the cloth on her skin made the Jedi flinch, but Ventress didn’t seem to notice. “I assure you—you’d be _dead_ if I wanted you dead.”

“Sure about that?”

Picking her head up to look at the girl, Asajj just _stared_. One hairless brow went up slowly and she poked the tip of her tongue against the corner of her mouth before _tutting_ softly. She didn’t say anything, returning to swiping the grit and filth from Iza’s skin until she had to get up and rinse the cloth again.

“I have _some_ idea of what to do.” Iza’s voice startled her and she hoped it didn’t show visibly when she turned her head to look back at her.

“Excuse me?”

The brunette’s cheeks had gone pink and she seemed to be struggling with the idea of holding her gaze for longer than a few seconds at a time. Turning to lean against the sink, Asajj crossed her arms and snorted.

“You don’t give up, do you?”

Iza shook her head.

“Well, that’s unfortunate for you,” shaking her head she gave the older girl a look and dropped the rag into the sink. “Your persistence will get you nowhere, little one.”

Iza watched openmouthed as Asajj strolled out of the room and she strained to listen for the door opening and closing. She jumped and nearly fell back into the tub when Ventress reappeared in the doorway holding her travelbag, looking amused by the startled look on the Jedi’s face.

“Did you think I’d leave you tied up like that?”

“Do you want the honest answer?”

A gentle sort of laugh followed and Asajj dropped the bag near Iza’s feet, coming over to reach behind the girl and untie her wrists. Gesturing to the bag, she straightened and propped her hands on her hips.

“Get yourself dressed. I’ll wait in the hall.” She started to head out again when Iza got to her feet and reached for her, but Asajj was quicker this time around and snatched her hand. The other went up to grab her around the throat and push her roughly up against the wall, making the girl let out a sound she _honestly_ hadn’t expected. Shaking it off, Asajj frowned at her hard and narrowed her eyes. “You’re beginning to annoy me.”

“Are you sure it’s annoyance?” _What sass_.

“I’m going to let you go, and I’m going to _leave_. If you make any attempt to follow me, I will not hesitate to take your head from your shoulders, do you understand?” Asajj couldn’t stay here; she couldn’t continue this song and dance with the girl while she was still so belligerent.

“Leave, then,” Iza’s voice had gone cold and she looked ready to throw another one of those savage punches. Yes, she definitely was not in the right state of mind for something like this; not at all.

Pushing away from the older woman, Asajj backed out of the room with one hand held out in front of her. If Iza tried to follow, she’d just toss her off and go. Thankfully, the girl seemed willing to stay put. What a fucking _nightmare_ the child was. While she couldn’t deny that it stirred something primal within her, Asajj was also quite annoyed by her persistence and inability to comprehend that _some things_ didn’t need to be rushed. She wasn’t sure what sort of foul things Kenobi had gotten up to with her in order to make her so pathetically needy like that, but he’d quite possibly ruined her appeal because of it. Still straining to listen for the sounds of the other woman giving chase, Asajj ducked out of the hotel room and headed for one of the emergency escapes. She didn’t need anyone seeing her leave the same way she’d come in—just in case little _Iza_ hadn’t been entirely truthful about being alone tonight.

~*~*~*~

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been in the tub when the communicator started going off, but the water was chilly and her body ached almost too much for her to bother reaching to grab it. With a lazy wave of her hand, she dragged her belt closer and dug the disc out of the hip pouch to turn it on.

“Yeah?” Squinting against the blue glow of the holo-transmission, Iza frowned when she saw Anakin floating in front of her. “ _What?_ ”

“Can you let me in?” She could hear his muffled voice through the wall.

She didn’t want to. She’d insisted on being left alone for a reason. Shaking her head, she looked away from him.

“No.”

“Iza,” he sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. “Please?”

“I don’t want company right now, Anakin.”

“I won’t stay long.”

“I don’t care,” she had half a mind to drop the communicator in the tub to short it out, but it probably wasn’t a great idea to do that while she was still in here. “I want to be left alone.”

“We need to talk about Ventress.” He sounded so damn insistent.

“No we don’t,” Tossing the disc onto the pile of clothes on the floor, Iza turned her head away and ignored the look she got from him.

“I’m coming in,”

She heard the door slide open and Iza nearly flung herself out of the tub to get at the communicator, shutting the washroom door and hanging up the connection before calling a different line.

“Darling?” Obi-Wan sounded tired. “What is it?”

“Get him out,” she pleaded, keeping her hand on the door to try and hold it shut with the Force. Anakin was stronger than she was—especially right now—so it wouldn’t surprise her if he managed to get it open. “Please— _get him out_.”

There was the sound of rustling on the other end of the line before soft swearing followed. Obi-Wan let out a heavy sigh and Iza wished his wrist comm had a damn holo-transmitter. She needed to know if she ought to be worried or not.

“Where are you?” he asked, sounding rushed.

“Black Sun Hotel.” Anakin’s footsteps were heavy as they approached the door.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can, darling. Sit tight.”

Giving a weak, unamused laugh, Iza heard the line click and felt the door tremble under her palm as Anakin tried to force it open.

“ _Go away!_ ” Dropping the comm disc, she pressed her other hand to the door for leverage. “Anakin, I don’t _want_ to talk!”

The heavy thud of something hitting the door made her yell out and she stared at the door panel when she heard the slow slide of something dragging down the other side of it. Beyond the feeling of her fear, the strangely familiar sensation of a Dark presence almost had her throwing the door open. She hadn’t realized she’d lost her hold on the panel until it slid open and Anakin rolled out into a heap at her feet, unconscious but still breathing. She barely registered what was happening as a slim female figure stepped over him and knelt to gingerly slide her hands beneath Iza’s arms, pulling her to her feet before lifting her clean off of them.

“You really are a nightmare,” Asajj muttered, carrying Iza out into the next room to set her on the edge of the bed. Barely sparing the girl’s nude form a glance, she went to retrieve the bag that had been left behind in the washroom, giving a healthy kick to Anakin’s side on her way out. Setting the bag on the bed, she rifled through it to find the ridiculously large tunic the girl had been wearing earlier and tossed it onto Iza’s lap.

“How…?” Taking the shirt, Iza pulled it on slowly and gestured towards Anakin. “How did you know?”

“I made a mistake.” Asajj pressed her knuckles into the surface of the mattress, not looking at the other woman. “He came into a bar asking if anyone had seen you. I should’ve just left it.”

“What did you tell him?” Pulling her hair from the neck of the shirt, Iza brought her knees to her chest to rest her chin against them.

“A bunch of bantha shit, little one,” tilting her head enough to look at her, Asajj shrugged. If Iza thought she was capable of allowing the emotion to cross her features, she’d swear that she looked remorseful. “Perhaps I should have held my tongue. I didn’t think he’d take it so seriously. He certainly doesn’t take after his Master,”

“No, he doesn’t,”

“I’ll never understand how Kenobi puts up with such behavior.” Shaking her head with a snort, Asajj finally turned to lower herself onto the bed, casting another look towards Anakin. “He has a penchant for picking the most _unstable_ partners.”

“Yourself included?” Iza flinched as Ventress’ head whipped around to look at her, her silver-blue gaze sharp and _mean_. The pale woman looked like she wanted to say something about that, but only leaned over and caught her mouth in a hard kiss. A long-fingered hand came to rest against Iza’s knee, the sharp nails dragging up the inside of her thigh until she whimpered and drew in a shaky breath. “He’s coming.”

“What?” Pulling back, the other woman looked confused.

“Obi-Wan,” nodding toward the doorway, Iza shut her eyes. “I called him. I got scared.”

Warm lips pressed against her cheek and the hand on her leg retreated, coming up to cup her chin.

“Find me when you’re ready,” Asajj said softly, giving a wide smirk when the brunette stared up at her. “Your Obi-Wan will know how to get in touch.”

“You don’t have to go—”

“Don’t be so pitiful, little one,” another kiss was pressed to Iza’s cheek before Asajj pulled herself to her full height and wandered over to the window. “You’ll get your chance.”

And then she was gone. In her place, Obi-Wan had come rushing in out of breath from the hallway.

“Darling!” he hurried over to her to assess her and make sure she was all right before turning to find Anakin still unconscious in the doorway to the washroom. The scene confused him greatly. How had she managed to do _that_ when she’d sounded so frantic on the comm? Noting the bag that sat on the bed and the sloppy way Iza was dressed, he frowned and started to open his mouth to say something when a groan from the hallway interrupted him.

“ _Ow_ … fuck…” Anakin slowly began to push himself upright, rubbing the back of his head, and then his face where he’d hit the door. His unfocused eyes looked into the bathroom and found it empty and he twisted to find the two behind him, pointing at Iza. “You—”

“ _Anakin_ ,” Obi-Wan’s voice was firm and unhappy as he came over to help the other man to his feet. “What in blazes are you doing? We agreed to let her have her privacy tonight.”

“She slept with Ventress.” The taller Jedi spat, glaring as he continued to rub the tender knot at the back of his head.

“I did _not_.” Getting to her feet with her hands balled into fists at her sides, Iza shifted her gaze between the two of them and pointed a finger at Obi-Wan. “ _He_ knows I didn’t!”

“Wait—” Anakin turned to his Master, “ _You_ —”

“It’s neither of our concern if Iza chooses to lie with a woman, Anakin. No matter whom that woman may be.” Obi-Wan gave his partner such a look that it shut him up quick. “I believe her if she says she has not gone to bed with Ventress, but you know as well as I she wouldn’t be the first Jedi to do so.”

“ _Master_ —”

“You’re pushing her further and further away from us the longer you behave like this. You understand that, right?” Gesturing to the brunette in front of them, Obi-Wan shook his head. “This is not about chaining her down, Anakin. If anything, you should encourage her to explore.”

“But with _Ventress?_ ”

“It isn’t _your_ decision who I pick.” Scowling, Iza folded her arms. “I’m… attracted to her. It’s not your call to tell me I’m not allowed to be.”

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Anakin asked, unable to keep his eyes from trailing over her form before he gestured between himself and Obi-Wan. “Are you sure you want to commit to what we’ve offered you when you seem quite hellbent on keeping others in your bed?”

“You’re free to do the same,” she shrugged. “Unlike you, I don’t get jealous easy. If the two of you chose to take another partner, I would only ask that you discuss it with me. Like I planned to discuss this with _you_ before you decided that I wasn’t allowed.”

“I didn’t say…” the younger man looked frustrated and turned to Obi-Wan, who put his hands up and shook his head.

“Do not drag me into this. I’ve already given her my blessing.”

“Without saying anything to _me?_ ”

“I don’t want to do this.” Iza said flatly, drawing both of their attention back to her. “I can’t even have a night to myself without you smothering me, Anakin. You threw a fit because I slept with Obi-Wan before I got into bed with you. Now you’re getting upset because we didn’t come to you to discuss me wanting to _possibly_ sleep with another woman? You… this is ridiculous.”

“You seem to want everyone else but _me_ , Iza,” taking a step forward, Anakin brushed Obi-Wan’s hand off when he tried to hold him back. “How would _you_ feel?”

“ _You don’t know a fucking thing about how I feel for you!_ ” She stomped her foot like a child and clenched her teeth hard. Pointing at him, she took a few steps closer and silently thanked the Maker when Obi-Wan put himself between the two of them and raised his arms out to keep them from getting any closer to each other. “You don’t know… _anything_.”

Anakin gave her a curious look, confused brows coming together to form a light crease as his blue eyes searched hers silently for the answer to an unasked question. His features relaxed when he found it. Stepping forward, he made an impatient sound when his chest collided with the palm his Master held out and he frowned at Obi-Wan before moving to brush him aside again. The older man held his place, looking back at Iza and getting a tiny nod in return. Stepping out of the way, he grunted when Anakin swept past him hurriedly and watched the delicate way the younger Jedi wrapped his fingers around the back of Iza’s head.

“You said _no feelings_.” Anakin murmured, dipping his head to kiss her. “You can’t break rules. Even your own.”

“Fuck off,” leaning up into the kiss, Iza gave his chest a light thump with her palm. “It was out of my control even before I made that rule.”

His expression was almost pained as he rested his forehead to hers, shutting his eyes while running his thumb along her cheek. He appeared to hesitate before letting out a heavy breath and shaking his head.

“You can’t.” His voice had taken on that flat, emotionless tone from the day she’d left with Obi-Wan. “Rules are there for a reason, sweetness.”

“Since when do _you_ care about rules?” She challenged, pulling at him to try and bring him closer. Somewhere behind Anakin, she heard the door of the hotel slide open and shut; Obi-Wan’s presence started to fade away and she hoped he wasn’t upset. They would talk later. There were things _he_ needed to know, too. “Ani, you can’t tell me how to feel.”

“It isn’t fair to Obi-Wan,” he said quietly, sounding very much like he wished he didn’t have to say it at all. “It’s not fair to your Catcher.”

“I have enough room in my heart to love all of you.” Iza’s voice shook terribly as she said it; she’d never admitted out loud that her Commander held a little corner of her heart and soul all to himself. “Surely you know by now that Love does not only come in pairs, Anakin.”

“Why hesitate with me?” His eyes opened and he pulled back enough to look at her, the hint of a frown on his lips. “You were so adamant about not wanting to go with Obi-Wan and yet…”

“I _wanted_ you, Anakin. I wanted you and you were the one who resisted. You confused me so much—behaving this way and then never following through when we’d lie together in bed.” Bringing her hand up, she traced a finger along his jaw. “I could have been more assertive, but I didn’t want to drive you away.”

“It wouldn’t have,” he smiled briefly and shrugged, taking hold of her hand and bringing her fingers to his lips to kiss them. “I promise you that much.”

“Then what stopped _you_ , Anakin?” Leaning against him, Iza bit her bottom lip to keep from pouting. “I gave you every opportunity. Why didn’t you take one?”

“You drink too much.” That frown was back and with it came an accusatory look. “I don’t care how much consent you give, it means nothing to me when you’re full up on liquor, Iza.”

Iza felt something clench in her chest just before the sleeping butterflies in her belly slowly began to rouse. What was it about such a small gesture that made her adore him even more? Popping up onto her toes, she shook her hand free from his grasp to hook it around the back of his neck and drag him down to a more reasonable height, muffling his laugh as her lips pressed to his in a deep, hurried kiss. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the soft smokiness on his tongue until it slipped past her lips and slid temptingly across hers; she also hadn’t realized how damn arousing it was to have him absolutely dominate her mouth with it like that. Letting out a soft grunt when his arm slipped around her waist and pulled her in tighter, Iza twisted her fingers in the long hair at the back of his head and gave a gentle pull.

“You better _stop_ ,” he snickered in between kisses, fingers digging into her hip. “I warned you the last time you did that.”

“Don’t deny me now, Ani,” her teeth caught his bottom lip for the briefest of moments and she nudged at him, trying to get him to back up towards the bed. “I’m sober. I know what I want. _Please_.”

“I wasn’t going to,” smiling at her when he pulled back, he raised a hand and wagged a finger. “But you don’t know what sort of beast you’re provoking, sweetness.”

Leaning up, Iza nipped the end of his finger and shot him a look.

“I think I can handle it.”

“Did he teach you the system?”

“He did.”

Without warning, Anakin snatched her up by the waist and all but tossed her onto the bed, grinning at the way she shouted in surprise. Bending to make quick work of getting his boots off, he crawled onto the bed and hovered over her, humming quietly as he looked her over for a moment and dipped his head to kiss her.

“All right. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”


	8. The Devil's Right Inside

“What did you do to yourself?” Anakin asked as he smoothed his palms up the sides of Iza’s thighs, frowning at the rough feel of healing wounds. The brunette had done her best with what little energy she’d had to mend the scrapes, but some of them had been left behind. Turning her to get a better look, he sat up some and frowned harder. “Iza?”

“It’s _nothing_ ,” laughing, she reached up and cupped his face, trying to pull him in for a kiss only to have him resist. “Anakin, it’s just a little road burn.”

“It’s all over,” he’d noticed the marks on her shins and knees now and was willing to bet if he lifted the sleeves of her tunic, there’d be more beneath them. “Did you fall off of a speeder?”

“I might’ve had a tiny tussle with someone. It’s not a big deal.”

The sour face he made at the implications in her words made Iza laugh and shake her head at him. Again, she attempted to pull him in for a kiss and slid her arms around his neck with a pout when he continued to resist.

“ _Anakin_ ,” huffing quietly, she narrowed her eyes. “ _I_ attacked _her_.”

“Why would you do that?” His hands made another pass over the marks on her legs, pushing the hem of her tunic up a fraction as he settled them on her hips.

“Because I didn’t want her making the first move,” eyeing him, the brunette tangled her fingers in his hair and gave a tug. “Are you going to fuss at me all night?”

The way his eyes lit up and his features hardened was just about all the answer she needed. His mouth was unforgiving with his next kiss and he felt heavier than before when he settled himself between her knees and began moving his hands further beneath the too-big shirt. Sweet little gasps followed from Iza’s lips when he found her nipples and toyed with them under the fabric, pinching and rolling and giving light tugs until she squeezed those pretty thighs against his waist. She squirmed under him and pulled at the neck of the dark tunic he wore, lifting her hips up from the bed only to have him tack them back down with a growl.

“ _Ana—_ ”

One hand abandoned the breast it was playing with, coming up to press a finger to her lips. He said nothing; he didn’t have to. One look into those glittering blue eyes was enough to make her shut up. Parting her lips when he started tracing the pad of his finger over them, Iza let the tip of her tongue brush against it and got a low groan and a curious head tilt in return. Keeping her gaze locked with his, Anakin eased his fingertip into her mouth and fought back a smile when she wrapped her lips around it and sucked. A heavy rumble started in his chest and he moved above her to tuck himself tighter against her pelvis, shifting to find just the right fit. When she gasped and grabbed at his shoulders, he knew he’d found it.

Ducking his head he tugged her tunic up and closed his mouth over one of the tight peaks he’d been playing with, sucking in gentle pulls while occasionally giving gentle drags of his teeth. He wasn’t sure when he’d started rocking his hips against her or when he’d slipped a second finger past Iza’s lips. The feel of her teeth biting down against the digits drew his attention away from her chest and he felt the boiling heat in his belly surge lower at the way she stared at him. Something about the shine in those green eyes of hers mixed with how her lips looked wrapped around his fingers the way they were just _spurred_ something inside him. Giving a hard press of his hips into hers, Anakin watched with primal delight at the way Iza’s eyes rolled lightly before they closed, impressed at the strength in her legs as they closed against his waist again.

Scattering hot kisses along her chest that were interspersed with sharp nips of his teeth, the younger Jedi fell into a steady rhythm as he rutted against her; at least until she combed her fingers into his hair again and _pulled_. Withdrawing his fingers from her mouth, Anakin braced his palm on the bed and wrapped the front of her tunic around the leather-clad knuckles of his cybernetic hand, tearing it open with a vicious yank that made Iza shout in surprise.

“ _Anakin!_ ” She stared at him for a moment, chest heaving as she tried to figure out if the move was more startling or arousing. She shivered as he stroked the fingertips of that wickedly strong hand down the center of her torso, giving his hair another quick tug when he dropped his head and followed the path with a slow glide of his tongue. “ _Force_ ,”

“Warned you,” he sing-songed in a rough voice, teeth scraping over a nipple before he tugged it playfully. “You didn’t want to listen.”

“You’re so…”

“You’ve got no idea,” lifting those mischievous blue eyes to meet hers, his lips curved in a soft smirk as his eyebrow briefly popped up. _Fuck_ , that look was almost terrifying—not to mention sexy as hell. _Like Master, like Apprentice_ , she supposed. They both seemed to know how to hide these viciously animalistic sides of themselves beneath gentle smiles and Jedi robes and Iza felt privileged to get to experience it firsthand. She let out a startled gasp when he leaned up and kissed her, moaning low when he shifted between her thighs and rubbed that rather magnificent erection against her again.

“Are you going to get undressed?” She teased, pulling back to suck at his bottom lip. “Those pants are _not_ friendly, you know.”

“What are you going to give me if I do?”

 _Oh— **fuck**_.

“What do you want?” Iza leaned back when he tried to kiss her again, grinning at the growl that followed. A pinch was given to one of her nipples and she couldn’t stop the whimper that bubbled in her throat, but she still turned her head away when he tried again to seal his lips over hers. She only relented when he grasped her chin between his fingers and gave a warning squeeze, toes curling against the bed at the way he practically jammed his tongue into her mouth and filled it with the taste of him. When he pulled back and started nibbling at her lips, the brunette slid her arms over his shoulders again and lightly dragged her fingers up along his back. “Ani?”

An arm slipped beneath her to hold her tight against his chest before he rolled over, positioning her on top of him and smiling wide as he nudged his hips up.

“You don’t like the pants— _take ‘em off_.”

“Get the shirt off first.”

The look he gave her was almost unreadable but Anakin obliged anyway. Sitting up long enough to pull the thing off over his head, he tossed it to the side and settled back down with one arm tucked behind his head. Giving a wave of his hand and another one of those hot smiles, he shrugged.

“Your turn.”

Iza shook her head at him and tutted softly, giving herself a minute to look him over first. Leaning over him, she lured him into a soft kiss, drawing his tongue into her mouth to suck at it until he groaned. Dragging her lips down over his chin, she kissed and nibbled her way down his throat and lightly dragged the edges of her teeth along the center of his chest. She planted more burning kisses over his abdomen when she reached it, fingers lightly tracing the chiseled lines of muscle as she worked her way lower, scooting carefully down his legs until he parted them so she could settle between them. The bite to the soft spot beneath his navel drew a harsh sound from the younger man and Iza caught sight of his fingers clenching in the bedspread.

With a soft snicker, she cupped his cock through his pants and massaged slowly with firm passes of her palm, looking up to watch him shut his eyes and tip his head back. Humming softly to herself, Iza used her free hand to get the ties and buttons undone, pressing her lips to the skin she bared once she started tugging down the loosened waist of his trousers. The first pass of the flat of her tongue earned her a jerk of Anakin’s hips and a deep groan and she fought not to giggle as she brought her other hand up to help pull the irritating piece of clothing further down his hips. He needed no prompting to lift up from the bed to make it easier for her and she thought she heard him swear when she took her time sliding them off of his thighs.

It took a fair amount of restraint on her end not to reach out and touch him the moment his cock popped free from his pants. She fully intended to draw this out as long as she could; torture him for the sake of finding out just how ruthless he could get. It wasn’t smart and she knew it—but had _any_ of this been smart to do? Blatantly avoiding his gaze as she continued to tug his pants down his legs, Iza had to turn away so she wouldn’t smirk. She could feel his eyes burning into her even as she dropped them to the floor and looked down to see where they landed.

“ _Iza_ ,”

 _Damn_. There was such demand in that tone that she wouldn’t have been able to resist if she wanted to. Jerking her head back to look at him, she tilted it curiously and tried to look as sweet and innocent as possible. _Playing with fire_. She was playing with _serious_ fire and she knew it. Raising his free hand from the bed, Anakin curled a finger at her and gave an impatient look. Force, it was difficult not to smile. Taking another moment to just look at him, iza finally crawled back up the length of his legs and settled belly-down against his thighs. Pursing her lips as she pretended to study the column of hard flesh in front of her, the brunette reached a hand out and trailed a single fingertip up along the underside from base to tip, feeling the full-body shiver he gave in return.

“I swear to—”

She didn’t let him finish as she leaned in and followed the path with her tongue, flicking her eyes up to meet his gaze and watch his jaw go completely slack. She couldn’t describe the noise he made exactly, but it was loud and it was _beastly_. It became a heavy growl when she reached a spot below the head and spent a few seconds just teasing it, making his hips shudder and his fingers flex against the bedspread again.

“You fucking… _you’re evil_.” He breathed.

“Am I?” Ghosting her damp bottom lip against the spot, she finally let herself have the smile she’d been fighting back for so long. “Why do you say that?”

He lifted his hand from the bed, dropped it, then lifted it again like he intended to grab hold of her. His nostrils flared with the next rough exhale of breath and before his fingers could even brush a single strand of her hair, Iza set the edges of her teeth against the head of his cock.

“ _Don’t you dare,_ ” his voice was a whisper, cold and harsh, the look in his eye was as feral as ever.

Iza didn’t say anything; just held his gaze for a solid minute before shifting closer and easing him into her mouth. She felt his fingers slide across her cheek and into her hair, whining when he gripped it almost painfully tight to pull her further down the length. She would’ve put her teeth on him again if she hadn’t been worried he might actually pull her hair out. Anakin didn’t look like he wanted to play games with her anymore, and she supposed she couldn’t blame him. Judging by the way he throbbed against her tongue, he was sick and tired of being toyed with. But that wasn’t going to keep her from growling at him before she took more of him into her mouth, letting her eyes slide shut when his fingers relaxed their hold on her hair. She worked him slow, her head bobbing down and up as she moaned around the shaft between her lips. She alternated between rough pulls of her mouth and swirling laps of her tongue against his skin, pulling back to lightly drag her teeth along his length. Above her, Anakin moaned in appreciation, his hips rocking in tune with each of her movements.

“Careful with those fucking teeth,” he murmured, sounding like he _definitely_ didn’t mind that she was using them at all.

Grunting at him, Iza waved a dismissive hand at him. _Yeah, yeah_ —she knew what she was doing. Leaning back with the intention of giving her jaw a break, she had to press her lips together to stop the smile that threatened to form when he swore at her for it. Taking him into her hand, Iza closed her fingers around the base and treated the plump, purple head to a thorough teasing with her tongue. She lapped slowly, pursing her lips around it to suck until his legs started to tremble again. The hand in her hair gave a hard tug and she fixed him with a scowl, squeezing her hand tight around his cock in warning.

“You better stop,” she snapped, baring her teeth in what was supposed to be a playful manner. “I can’t be careful if you keep pulling like that.”

“You’ve done enough,” his voice was shaking almost as much as his damn legs were and Iza felt a swell of pride within herself. “Come up here,”

Tilting her head, she pursed her lips like she was giving it some thought and traced her fingertip in slow circles around that wickedly sensitive spot. She noticed the way his stomach muscles bunched tightly beneath taut skin and how his chest started to heave, raising an eyebrow at him as she dipped her head and gave a quick lick to the tip.

“How’s your stamina, Ani?”

“ _Don’t_ ,”

She wasn’t sure if it was a protest or a warning. Trying again, Iza closed her lips over the head and suckled in agonizingly soft pulls before moving back again.

“ _Anakin…_ ” she cooed, giving the very tip a quick flick of her tongue. “You better answer me.”

“Good. It’s good. _Force sake, Iza_ ,” wasn’t he supposed to be the one in charge? When had she flipped this on him? He supposed it was hard to be the one in control when someone had your dick in their mouth like that.

“ _Good boy_.”

And then she was taking him into her mouth, further this time—enough to where she was swallowing around his cock and making him lose his fucking mind. The harder pulls of her mouth in combination with the way she kept rubbing her tongue against that sharply-sensitive spot under the head had Anakin almost howling, pushing his hips up from the bed at a pace that was _probably_ a little rougher than it should’ve been. But Iza appeared to manage just fine; there was no warning scrape of teeth, no restraining hands pressed to his belly. All he got in return was a heavy moan that surrounded his cock with a steady vibration that sent him careening over the edge.

Pressing his shoulders into the bed, he dropped his hand from her hair to keep from yanking at it the way he wanted to, gritting his teeth against the flood of heat building fast in his lower back. He could sense every last little bit of the smugness in the older Jedi as she worked him over; she loved that she had complete control over him, knowing she could let him come or take her time and draw it out. He was hot and throbbing against her tongue, panting and moaning loudly—and she had the power to cut him off completely without mercy if she wanted to. _Force_ , he didn’t know what it was about that idea that made him so damn hot, but it was enough to make him come apart at the seams and shout at the ceiling.

“ _Iza— **fuck**!_” One last thrust of Anakin’s hips had him emptying himself in her mouth and she simply swallowed the salty taste as he twitched and heaved above her.

Giggling, she pulled back and let him go with a wet pop, licking up the last few drops she’d missed while he hissed through his teeth at the sharp sensation. Pressing little kisses to his shivering belly, Iza rested her cheek against it and smiled up at him when he was finally able to pick his head up and look at her. A shaking hand came down to thread into her hair again, rubbing gently at her scalp as he continued to try and catch his breath. It took him a moment to realize she hadn’t rolled off the bed to head into the washroom and he gave her a curious look.

“Did you…?”

A laugh escaped the brunette and she pressed her face against his stomach as her cheeks colored. She only looked up again when she felt him stroke his fingers down the side of her face. He was still giving her that expectant look and she averted her gaze.

“ _Yeah_ ,” sheesh, was it that big of a deal? “Doesn’t everyone?”

He wasn’t sure how to answer that. It’d been his experience that _most_ partners tended not to. He was pulled out of that train of thought when he noticed her squirming against his thighs, tilting his head down at her and giving a light smirk.

“You should come up here,” he slipped his fingers beneath her chin and gave a playful squeeze. “I can’t do much for you while you’re all the way down there.”

“I can wait,” _well_ , she’d waited this long, hadn’t she? “You should be basking.”

The hand on her face slipped lower to her throat and her eyes widened when he gave another playful— _firm_ —squeeze.

“ _Now_ ,” Anakin’s features were slowly taking on that feral look again and she felt a _lovely_ little chill run down her spine. She stopped resisting then, getting up from her spot to crawl over him while he guided her with the hand wrapped around her neck. When she got close enough, he leaned up and gently dragged the edges of his teeth over her chin, down the side of her jaw to her ear where he pressed his lips and smiled. “You listen to _me_ now, sweetness.”

“ _Yes sir_ ,” Iza damn near melted against him as he sat up and moved his mouth down her neck, finding a spot to sink his teeth into before he started to suck. Bracing a hand against his chest the brunette shut her eyes and whined quietly as he left his mark, drawing in a sharp breath when she felt him press his fingers harder against her throat. The combination of the feel of his lips, teeth and tongue working against her skin and the dizzying sensation that came with the tight hold he had on her had Iza almost floating. What was the word she needed to make him loosen his hold? It was a color, wasn’t it? Mando’a word— _grey_. Swallowing hard as she tried to draw in a breath and shake a bit of the fog away, she tilted her head against his and whispered, “ _Genet_.”

Instantly, his fingers relaxed and his hand dropped to her waist to pull her closer to his side. His mouth never stopped its work, however. Letting out a soft giggle, Iza pawed lightly at his chest and smiled slow.

“Anakin,” _damn_ , she needed to clear her throat. “You know _genet_ means—”

“I know what it means.” He bit deeply into the tender mark on her neck, soothing the sharp pain with a gentle pass of his tongue. “You need a break, though.”

She wanted to argue against him but he wasn’t going to give her the chance. He’d pulled back to assess his work, bringing his hand back up to swipe his thumb over the mark with a hum. He leaned in again, this time choosing to just press kisses all along the side of her neck to her shoulder, palming one of her tits and teasing the damp pad of his thumb around the nipple until she squirmed beside him.

“You like to touch, don’t you?” She wasn’t complaining; it was nice that he didn’t seem keen to rush anything despite having been made to wait as long as he had.

“You’re soft.” He murmured, twisting in his spot to press his chest into hers and gently force her back against the bed. “And I like to take my time.”

“You sure do.”

“Are we complaining?” Propping himself on an arm, he raised an eyebrow and nudged her thighs apart with one of his knees to rest it between them. Settling down beside her, the younger Jedi trailed the tips of his fingers down her torso and traced slow circles around her navel.

“No,” **_yes_**.

“You’re _lying_.” Smiling, he dragged his fingers lower and swept them along the crease of her thigh, flat out grinning when she jumped and whined at him. “ _Sensitive?_ ”

“ _No_.” She looked him dead in the eye when she said it, astonished that she was able to keep a straight face.

Tutting quietly as he raised an eyebrow, Anakin ran a single finger down the inside of her thigh and back up again. He watched her face carefully the higher he brought his touch, noting the way her muscles tensed when he skipped her sex altogether and went back to drawing mindless shapes on her belly. While her facial features never seemed to change, the look in her eyes was _murderous_. Anakin could sense the frustration radiating off of her in heavy waves that crested against him and damn near made him grin again. He wondered how long he could torment her before she broke.

Bringing his fingers to his mouth, he licked the tips of two of them and saw the way her eyes widened. _Poor thing_. She had no idea what she was in for at all. When he brought his hand back down it was to settle those two fingers against the highest point of her inner thigh, dragging a line of saliva along her skin while he hummed to himself. He caught the sight of her hands twitching out of the corner of his eye and half expected her to smack him. When she only curled her fingers in the bedspread and gripped it until her knuckles turned white, he shook his head and huffed out a soft laugh.

“If you’d stop lying to me, you could have what you want.” Leaning over her, he dipped the point of his tongue into her belly button and jerked when her hips jumped at the touch. Nipping a full circle around it, he continued on to bite and kiss his way to her hip. “Until then— _suffer_.”

There was a very distinct shift in her emotions then; frustration turned into determination and Anakin knew she wasn’t going to just give up on him yet. _Good_. He liked toying with her. Moving around on the bed, he carelessly budged her legs open and found a spot on one of her thighs to start marking up. The startled sound she made when he sank his teeth deep into soft flesh made his belly burn and he moved his mouth over a fraction to do it again, grunting when she tried to snap her legs shut against his head. _Okay_ —maybe he wouldn’t bite so hard. Kissing the little impressions he’d made, he stole a quick glance up at her and saw that she’d thrown her arms over her face and had her fingers clenched tight in the pillow behind her head. Pausing, Anakin picked his head up and frowned.

“Iza?” His voice was rough, but concerned. He hoped he hadn’t hurt her. “Sweetness, give me a color.”

“ _Cin_.” She mumbled against her arm, sounding breathless.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” dropping her arms, she nodded at him. “It’s intense, but… I’m okay.”

“Do you want me to dial it back?”

“No.” Reaching to brush the hair out of his eyes, Iza smiled at him and ran her knuckles along his jaw. “Really, it’s fine.”

He’d take her word for it. That was the best he could do aside from keeping tabs on her emotional shifts. Nodding, he turned to press his lips to the deep marks he’d left in her skin, kissing them gently before finding another spot and biting down. _Force_ , the sound she made was a delight to listen to. He’d purposely been a bit kinder with this last bite but still managed to elicit the same startled whimpers that sent wonderful chills down his spine. Deciding that perhaps she’d had enough pain for one side, he turned to the other thigh and latched on with just his lips. Sucking in hard pulls, he occasionally scraped the edges of his teeth over the spot and snickered when he felt her fingers brush the crown of his head. She seemed to hesitate and then her hand fell elsewhere.

He’d glanced up to briefly check on her and stopped mid-suck when he saw just where she’d put that hand. He supposed he should’ve expected it, and he _probably_ should’ve put a few more rules in place too. His eyes followed the slow passes of her fingers as she rubbed them against her clit and he went back to darkening the mark on her thigh so she wouldn’t know she’d been caught just yet. It was hard not to get distracted. Especially not when she started letting out soft, breathy little moans and the muscles beneath his lips tightened and relaxed so rapidly. Skimming his lips up higher, he pulled away and snagged her by the wrist, pulling her fingers away from her pussy and popping them into his mouth. He grinned around the digits when she shouted at him and gave him a look like she was going to slap him for stopping her.

“Who said—” he took a moment to suck her taste from each finger and then pinned her wrist to the bed. “—you could touch?”

“You’re taking too _long_ ,” she pouted, poking her bottom lip out for effect.

“I’m taking my time. There’s a difference.”

“You’re torturing me.”

“Yeah,” nodding, he smiled and leaned over her to give that pouty bottom lip a quick nip. “But only because you lied.”

“ _Anakin_ ,”

“Keep saying my name like that,” he grinned at her again and traced a fingertip around one of her nipples. “Maybe you’ll get what you want.”

“You keep saying that,” Iza started to lift her other hand with the intention of only touching his face, but he took hold of that wrist and pinned it too. “ _Anakin!_ ”

“Keep it coming,” shifting above her, he brought her arms over her head and looked around for a moment before snatching the discarded remains of her ruined tunic. Wrapping the fabric around her wrists, he anchored them against the pillows and gave a tiny tap to the end of her nose with a fingertip. “Don’t move.”

“And if I do?” She challenged, twisting the loose ends of the material in her fingers to give herself something to hold onto.

Anakin smiled at her and turned a hand up.

“I already got mine.” He knew she’d probably see right through the shit-eating grin he threw her and he didn’t care. It was too much fun to torment her. “I don’t have any problems leaving you like this.”

“I can handle it myself if you do.” Iza stuck her tongue out at him and gasped when he gently took hold of her face. He swore he heard her try to smother a moan on top of it, but couldn’t be sure.

“Not allowed.” Leaning over, he dusted little kisses over her forehead and cheeks. “You get your pleasure from me or you get nothing. That’s how this works, sweetness.”

Iza didn’t say anything. She just gave him a hard look that he couldn’t quite decipher. When she tipped her head up and locked their lips in a sweet, gentle kiss, Anakin knew he’d won. _Of course_ he’d won; much like Obi-Wan, he preferred to be the one calling the shots in the bed. But _unlike_ Obi-Wan, he wasn’t above bullying his partner to get them to submit. Iza knew what the system was and had all of the right code words to say if she wasn’t interested in playing the game his way. She didn’t fool him at all with her little show of resistance; especially not when her body continued to respond to his touch the way that it did.

Humming softly against her lips, he smiled as he pulled back and gave her another quick peck. The hand holding her jaw smoothed down over her throat, between her breasts and lower still until his fingers were hovering over that aching part of her between her thighs.

“What do you say?” he asked, brushing his mouth against her chin.

“Please?” _Shit_ , that breathy tone was going to be his undoing.

“ _No…_ ” he drawled, nudging her chin up to get at the sensitive mark he’d left on her throat. “Try again, sweetness.”

“ ** _Anakin_** _!_ ”

Grinning a little against her skin, Anakin slipped his fingers between the folds of her sex and found the hard little nub at the top that begged for all of his attention. He circled it slowly, picking his head up to watch the way Iza tensed and closed her eyes, her hips rocking up into the touch.

“Is that what you want?” He asked, reaching his free hand up to cup the back of her head. “Do you like that?”

“Yes…” Her answer was a shivery moan. A sharp gasp followed when Anakin dared to press his long fingers deep inside of her body. Both of her eyes fluttered open to stare at him and Iza couldn’t keep herself from leaning in to kiss him while he worked the digits in and out. Above her, her arms twitched upward with the intention of grabbing for him, only to press back against the pillow just as quick. “I’m sorry. Don’t stop.”

Honestly—he’d thought about it. And normally, he would’ve. But Anakin was so caught up in how hot and slick she was—not to mention the way she kept _tightening_ around his fingers—that he almost hadn’t even noticed. Pressing reassuring kisses to her face, he shook his head and smiled faintly.

“That’s your only pass,” he warned, shifting to begin scattering more kisses over her shoulders and down along her chest. He paused long enough to kiss and lick each of her nipples, giving tiny tugs with his teeth until he felt her clench around his fingers—a move that drew a deep growl from his chest. _Yeah_ —she was definitely a sensitive one. Continuing his trek down over her belly, he took the time to kiss and mark her hips with his teeth before moving lower, switching from his lips to the point of his tongue. It took a fair bit of effort on his part to withdraw his fingers and the soft little whine of disapproval she gave almost had him sliding them back in. But he had other plans for her. Resting his cheek against her thigh, he gave a soft _hm_ before reaching up along her body and offering her his hand.

The growl that rumbled in his chest was loud and savage as the brunette lifted her head and took his slick fingers in her mouth, sucking her taste clean from his skin while holding his gaze unblinking. She gave a light nibble to his fingertips as he pulled them free from her lips, going so far as to suck her bottom lip before giving him a tiny jerk of her head to urge him on. _Little—_ all right. She could have that one, he supposed. Pressing his palms against each of her thighs, Anakin leaned in and kissed her intimate flesh, angling his head just right as he skimmed the flat of his tongue against her clit.

“Ah!” Iza jolted upright, completely forgetting she wasn’t supposed to move at all in favor of staring down at him as he slowly devoured her. Each luxurious pass of his talented tongue had her gasping and moaning and wriggling until she arched forward and cried out again. “ _Maker’s sake, **Anakin**!_”

Anakin chuckled darkly between her thighs, one hand coming up to gently press her back against the mattress. He supposed he could let her have _this_ one too. Looking up at her over her belly, he smiled. “Stay like this, sweetness. Don’t move again.”

Iza nodded, swallowing hard. She felt him palm one of her tits and toy with the nipple before he let his mouth get back to work, laving and sucking and nibbling while her head swam and her body burned with sensation. _Fuck_ , he was good. Slow and explorative and eager, like he just couldn’t stand to wait to see what he could do next to make her shiver and nearly scream in pleasure. Truth be told, he was a little clumsy with his actions, but _damn_ , that didn’t matter one fucking bit to her. Clumsy or not, he was damn good.

“How is it?” Anakin asked between slow laps of his tongue against her clit. “Talk to me, sweetness.”

“It’s good. More than good. Fucking hell, Ani, you’re gonna make me…”

“Come? Good. I want you to.” Using his thumbs to part her flesh, the younger man drilled his tongue deep, nearly laughing when she shouted in surprise and began to roll her hips in tune with the shallow thrusts.

“Oh… _fuck_ …” Iza moaned, closing her eyes tight as she hooked a leg over his shoulder and dug her heel into his back, urging him on with hard nudges that made him growl against her flesh. Easing back, he wrapped his lips around the hard nubbin of her clit and sucked in agonizingly slow pulls, causing her to arch her back and grind against his mouth.

“That’s it,” he swirled his tongue around her clit, occasionally dipping the pointed tip inside of her until she started to tense up, her mewls becoming higher in pitch. “Come on, sweetness. Come for me.”

“Ani, I can’t… I need…” Iza paused to toss her head and cry out. “ _Maker!_ I need something inside me,”

“I suppose that can be arranged.” He teased, unnecessarily wetting two of his fingers before pressing them deep. Stroking them in and out, he found a spongy little bundle of nerves inside her and pressed it, the action coinciding with a flick of his tongue against her clit. “How’s that?”

The loud chant of expletives that followed was really all the answer he needed, but Iza seemed determined to give him the verbal confirmation he wanted.

“That’s fucking _good_. Please… _please_ Ani, I’m so close…”

“I know you are.” Anakin taunted, sucking. “Just a little more, right?”

“ _Yeah_ ,” She whined, twisting around on the bed as his hot mouth covered her sex and worked her over until she thought she might burst into a zillion little pieces from the orgasm building in her belly. As his fingers pressed deeper and his tongue stroked harder, Iza felt the seams of her control starting to split. Light detonated behind her eyes as she arched up from the bed and let out a growling moan of release. Electric jolts of pleasure raced up her spine and throughout the rest of her body as she came, calling Anakin’s name in breathless squeals while he continued his torment until she was sure she was going to go insane from the sensation. Twisting around on the bed like it might do something to deter him from continuing to feast on her like a fucking animal, the brunette gave a weak thump of her heel against his back and grit her teeth. “ _Anakin—_ ”

“Again,” he murmured, press-rubbing his fingers against that wickedly sensitive spot inside of her. “One more time for me, sweetness.”

“ _I can’t, I can’t, I can’t_ ,”

He wasn’t sure if it was the tightness in her voice that made him slow his pace or the sudden shift in her enthusiasm. But he relented either way, switching to softer passes of his tongue and gentler strokes of his fingers. Still, Iza seemed to protest.

“Anakin— _I can’t_ ,”

“Reach for me,” he was going to get in trouble; he wasn’t supposed to do that. “Reach for me and let me help you.”

Above him, Iza whimpered and shut her eyes, trying to gather enough wit to concentrate. It was far more difficult to find his Force signature than Obi-Wan’s, but she had a feeling it had more to do with her scrambled brain’s inability to hold onto a meditative state for longer than two seconds before he did something between her thighs that broke it. Once she felt the distinct sensation of his energy locking onto hers, Iza almost screamed at the sensation that flooded her body. It was every bit as intense as what she’d felt when she’d Bonded with the elder Jedi, but there was something _different_ about it, too. Something inherently darker and more savage. It filled her with such fire that she worried she might black out.

She came again without much warning, thighs unable to clamp together the way she wanted them to because of how his shoulders were positioned. The pleasure was so sharp, so intense, that she wasn’t even sure she made a sound other than the heavy gasps that burned her lungs. Her entire body trembled hard as he continued to slowly lap at her through her orgasm, slowing to a stop when she covered her face with her bound hands and pleaded as tears streaked down her face. Too much; being connected to Anakin was far too much to handle. She felt him sliding up along her body, his warm, heavy weight settling down on top of her carefully. And she felt his hands brush hers away before his lips began peppering soft kisses over her cheeks. He was murmuring something—words of reassurance, maybe. But it was all lost in the strong swirl of _mess_ floating around inside of her head.

“Iza,” brushing the hair away from her face, Anakin sounded so damn concerned for a man whose cock was stabbing her in the hip. “Sweetness, say something.”

“ _Ne’tra_ ,” she rasped out, pulling at the shirt binding her arms. “ _Ne’tra!_ ”

Immediately, his hands went to untie her and the minute she was free, Iza pushed him off and rolled away. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, the brunette cradled her head in her hands and dug the heels against her eyes, swearing as her shoulders trembled.

“Unlink it,” she spat, sounding sick. “ _Unlink it, Anakin_ ,”

He was confused. Was she really reacting this way because of the Bond? Obi-Wan had warned him before not to try it without him around, but he hadn’t thought—

“ ** _Anakin_** _!_ I said _now!_ ”

Shutting his eyes, the younger man reached out to find the place where they were joined in the Force and ripped it loose, grunting against the weird pinch he felt somewhere in his stomach. In front of him, Iza let out a heavy whine and sagged forward, covering her head with her arms as both hands tunneled deep into her hair.

“Don’t… don’t ever make me do that again.” She whispered, sounding like she was either on the verge of throwing up or crying or both.

“What happened?” Moving up alongside her, Anakin hesitated to touch her. He didn’t want to get hit, but he wanted so badly to comfort her. “Iza,”

“I don’t know,” she shook her head, turning just enough to look at him with glassy eyes. “Just swear to me you won’t make me do that again.”

“I won’t,” he pulled her to him and was glad she didn’t resist. Kissing the side of her head, he shut his eyes and let out a harsh breath. “I promise I won’t, sweetness. I’m so sorry.”

“I need a few minutes,” nudging her head against his affectionately, she moved to get to her feet.

“We don’t have to. I can take care of this myself.” Gesturing to his revived erection, Anakin watched her give a tiny smile and shake her head.

“I want to. I just—”

“Don’t tell Obi-Wan,” he looked worried suddenly, reaching for her hand to clutch it and bring her knuckles to his lips. “Iza, please don’t tell him.”

Tilting her head curiously, Iza frowned. She didn’t need to ask to know that he was begging for a reason. He likely wasn’t _supposed_ to do what he did— _but why?_ And why wasn’t Obi-Wan supposed to know? Did it have something to do with that strange savageness that had come from him the moment their energies had met? Pressing her lips together tightly, she moved closer to stand between his knees and slid her fingers into his hair, bending to drop a kiss to the top of his head.

“I won’t tell him,” she had a feeling the elder Jedi would know anyway. He seemed to have a knack for guessing when things weren’t right. “But I still want a few minutes to recover. Can you grant me that?”

“Of course,” his hands were so damn gentle as they smoothed down her back, such a drastic change from the bruising touch he’d used not minutes before. “Do you need me to leave?”

“No. I’m just gonna go into the washroom.” Smiling, she trailed her fingers along the sharp swell of his cheek and bent to kiss him again. “I never drained the tub.”

“Okay.” Nodding, he let his hands fall away. “I’ll be here,”

“You better be,” laughing, Iza tapped the end of his nose affectionately. “I’m not done with you yet, Skywalker.”

Getting a smile in response, the brunette sighed quietly and wandered off into the washroom, shutting the door behind her. Once she’d locked it behind her, she braced her palms against the sink and leaned up against it to rest her forehead against the mirror. _What. The. **Fuck**?_ She couldn’t make sense of any of what had just happened. None of it. She couldn’t figure out why Anakin was so insistent on keeping Obi-Wan in the dark about the incident, couldn’t figure out why the Bond had felt so _corrupted_ in comparison to the one she shared with the other Jedi. She’d felt things through the heat of the pleasure that shouldn’t have been there; a kind of coldness that felt so fucking familiar to her that she’d been confused as to which side of the link it’d been coming from. Were they _her_ emotions or were they _his?_ And that Darkness; what the _hell_ was that? That wasn’t present at all in her Bond with Obi-Wan. His was warm and inviting and healing; this had threatened to rip her very soul apart.

_Why?_

The question would continue to plague her even after she’d pushed away from the sink and moved to drain the bathtub. Sitting down on the edge, her eyes fell to the communicator disc she’d dropped earlier. A light blinked on the side and she frowned, reaching to pick it up and check the message that had been received, she was more than startled when her Master’s furious face popped up in front of her.

“I know what you’ve done, Skywalker,” he must not have known that the communicator had been passed off to her. “You’re making a huge mistake. It was for her own good. You don’t know the things I know about that Clone.”

“Oh _fuck you_ ,” Iza breathed, clenching her jaw.

“He’s dangerous for her. You better hope your Captain can keep an eye on him.”

The message cut out and Iza sat staring at the disc for a long moment before she turned and tossed it into what remained of the bathwater. Getting up, she unlocked the door and headed back into the room where Anakin still sat on the bed looking like he was deep in thought. He glanced over at her when she crawled onto the bed and brushed her lips against his shoulder, teeth following in a gentle graze against his skin.

“Hi,” he smiled, kissing the side of her head. “Better?”

“Yes,” sliding her arms around his waist, she let her fingertips dance over the top of one of his thighs and gave his earlobe a nibble. “ _Ani_ ,”

“Okay, okay,” laughing, he turned and guided her back on the bed, locking his lips to hers in a slow kiss. Gone was the feral side of him that had been determined to tease her to her breaking point. He knew when to tuck that side of himself away and when to be soft and gentle. Now was one of those times. Iza certainly didn’t seem to mind as she dragged her nails up along his sides and parted her knees for him to rest between, returning his kisses with fervor until he broke off to kiss his way to her neck.

“You love that spot, don’t you?” She teased, closing her eyes against the sharp sensation of his teeth sinking into the bruised mark.

“It’s mine,” he chuckled, running his hands along her thighs before gently pulling them further apart. “Of course I do.”

“What about _me?_ ”

The question stopped him in his tracks and had him pulling back to look at her with the _strangest_ shine in his blue eyes. His brow twitched lightly in a curious manner, like he was silently questioning what the hell she meant by that. Then realization washed over his features for the second time that night and he leaned in to give her quite possibly the softest kiss she’d ever been given.

“ _Mine, too_.” He whispered, resting his forehead to hers. He didn’t care if he had to share; it came with the territory of this whole situation. It didn’t mean he couldn’t secretly be selfish, right?

“I hope so,” shutting her eyes, Iza brought her hands up to the sides of his neck, kissing him sweetly before nudging her hips up and giving a tiny whine. “ _Anakin_ ,”

“You’re so needy,” he teased, reaching between them to line himself up before sinking into her slowly with a soft hiss. He almost grinned when she squeezed her thighs against his hips, stopping only because he knew she’d say something about him being _smug_. Once she’d adjusted around him he allowed himself to move and fell into a slow and steady rhythm that sank him deep and had both of them panting in no time at all. They traded sloppy little kisses in between the filthy things they murmured to each other and Anakin had to gather up every ounce of his restraint to keep the pace reasonably gentle. After what had happened before, he didn’t want to overwhelm her again unless she asked for it. But _damn_ —she made it difficult. The way she dragged those sharp nails over his skin and whispered praise laced with vulgar expletives in his ear, all while squeezing her tight cunt around him—it just fucking drove him _insane_.

Iza was in no better shape. There was a big part of her that wanted to beg him to flip her over and fuck her into oblivion, but there was just _something_ about the slow and easy pace that set her body on fire. It was almost more intense than she imagined it would be if they’d just kept going instead of having taken the break. He hit all of the right spots so smoothly, so _perfectly_. It got to the point where nothing but mindless babble spilled out of her mouth in between the harsh breaths and soft mewling pleas, and she’d started grabbing at his hips to pull him in tighter, biting at his shoulder when she could no longer trust herself to kiss him properly.

“Are you gonna—”

“ _Shut up,_ ” she cut him off and clutched at his lower back, digging her nails in to try and spur him into moving just a little harder.

He laughed. He couldn’t help it. Running his tongue across his upper lip, Anakin gave her a look and shifted above her, bracing his palms on the bed and picking up the pace of his hips. Grunting every time he slid into her fully, the younger man shut his eyes and growled low in his chest, trying his best to stave off his orgasm. He cussed under his breath and groaned when he felt Iza’s nails scratch down along his chest, cracking his lids to look down at her. _Fuck_ —did she have to look at him like that? She looked so damn mindless with pleasure as she lay beneath him, loud whimpers turning into heavy moans as she arched up from the bed and called out to him. He shouted a little when she tightened around him harder than before and scrambled to grab hold of him, her sleek legs wrapping tight around his waist to pull him in and hold him in place.

He lost it, then. There was no way he could’ve stopped himself at all. His hips gave a hard jerk and he bowed his head to try and muffle his shaky moan against her lips. Kissing her was hard; they were both breathing so raggedly and couldn’t seem to remember what to do with their tongues or lips as they pawed and pulled at one another. He felt his eyes rolling behind closed lids when she whimpered his name so _fucking_ softly as he emptied himself into her, arms shaking as they tried to keep him braced above her. Thankfully, she gathered him against her chest to relieve him of the strain, locking him in another breathless kiss that seemed to last forever. Even after they’d both stopped twitching and trembling, they traded gentle kisses and ran their fingers through one another’s hair and over sweat-damp skin. Anakin was the first to break away, though he kept close enough so their noses touched.

“ _Hi_ ,” he breathed when Iza lazily opened her eyes, an almost goofy smile spreading across his lips.

“Hi,” she reached up to gingerly touch his jaw, stealing tiny kisses. She couldn’t get enough. The smokiness of his mouth was far too addicting.

“That…” the laugh he gave was soft. “Was well worth the wait.”

“ _Shut up_ ,” Iza laughed as she said it, setting the edges of her teeth against his chin playfully. “You’re so fucking annoying.”

“Mm,” rolling onto his side, he took her with him and sighed. “You’re no better, sweetness. But I think that’s why I like you.”

“Yeah?”

“ _Yeah_.” After a moment, he tipped his head and shrugged a shoulder. “Well—that and you’ve got a _great_ mouth.”

“ _Anakin!_ ”

Laughing, the younger Jedi leaned up and pressed an affectionate kiss to her forehead. After a few moments of just snuggling with her in silence, he pulled back with a concerned look on his face.

“ _Aw shit_ ,” yeah, he could feel that telltale wetness sliding down both of their legs. “I forgot—”

“It’s fine,” waving a dismissive hand, Iza shook her head and smirked. “I’m chipped.”

“I didn’t even ask.”

“If I was concerned, I would have said something.” Or not. It was kind of worth it not to deal with the fuss of a contraceptive. “Don’t stress yourself, Ani. You had my consent from the get-go.”

He pressed his lips together in a slight frown like he was still torn over the idea, but after she started planting soft kisses all over his face, he relented. Finally, he reached behind him to grab a corner of the blanket to wrap around them as much as possible, nuzzling his nose into her hair.

“Get some sleep,” he murmured, snuggling her closer to his chest. “I have this _terrible_ feeling that someone is going to wake us up early.”

“I sincerely hope not.” Wrinkling her nose, Iza sighed. She knew better. Obi-Wan would be there at the earliest convenience to _him_ and he would likely want to get right back into business. Ugh. The mission was the _last_ thing she wanted to think about right now.

“Sleep. We’ll figure out how to deal with him in the morning.”


	9. You're My Darkest Burning Star

Iza awoke the next morning to Anakin grumbling in his sleep over the sound of someone knocking impatiently on the door. What little sense she could manage to gather as she pulled herself upright beneath the sheets told her it was Obi-Wan. _Of course_ it was Obi-Wan. Dragging herself out of the bed, she grabbed something out of her travel bag to cover up with and answered the door to find him looking alert and ready to face the day. He smiled at her and dropped a kiss to her cheek before breezing into the room, much to Anakin’s dismay.

“ _The **hell**_ , Master?” he muttered, sitting up to rub a hand over his face.

“Look at what you’ve done to her,” Obi-Wan tutted once Iza had shut the door. “She’ll need bacta patches for those bite marks, Anakin.”

“I’m fine,” Iza felt a little self-conscious as the elder Jedi looked her over, her eyes flicking to look at Anakin every few seconds. “It’ll heal.”

“Well, it needs to be healed sooner rather than later, darling,” Obi-Wan looked almost disappointed as he studied the dark mark left behind on her neck and she swore she caught him shaking his head with a roll of his eyes before he continued. “We have somewhere to be and _you_ have a special role to play.”

“What sort of role?” Anakin asked, moving to get out of the bed to find his clothes. If he had any qualms about Obi-Wan seeing him in the buff, he didn’t show it. Iza had a strong feeling that _neither_ of them cared much about modesty around the other.

“I daresay, it’s _reversed_ ,”

“Reversed?” Iza’s brows knit together lightly as she tried to keep her eyes on Obi-Wan and not on the younger Jedi behind him who was tugging his pants back on.

“You will be taking on the role of the Master, my dear,” smiling faintly as he followed her line of sight, Obi-Wan tried not to purse his lips at her. “Or shall I say— _Mistress_.”

“ _What?_ ”

“There are rumors that the man we need has been floating around a very _specific_ club deep in the city. And there are more rumors that his preferred bait is the kind that will step on his neck and call him the kind of filth that comes out of _your_ mouth, darling.”

“I’m not doing it,” Anakin said from where he’d gone to pick up his shirt. “You can take her on your own. You know how I feel about these sorts of things, Obi-Wan.”

Blinking, Iza turned to look at him, noting the change in his stance. He’d gone almost completely rigid and she could see all of the tension in his back muscles before he pulled the shirt on over his head. A fine muscle worked in his jaw as he fought to keep his eyes elsewhere and dragged long fingers through his hair distractedly. Opening her mouth to say something, she was immediately cut off by Obi-Wan.

“Anakin, she needs _both_ of us for it to work. The man is dangerous. I know you would not let her meet with him alone.” Folding his arms, the elder of the trio fixed his partner with a stern look. “I understand better than most how you feel, but this—”

“If he’s uncomfortable, it’s unfair to ask him to do it.” Iza cut in, shaking her head. She didn’t know what either of them were talking about and she supposed it wasn’t any of her business if Anakin didn’t _make_ it her business, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t still protect him. “Perhaps we can work something else out?”

“And what, pray tell, do you have in mind?”

Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly and rubbed the back of her head.

“…Catcher. He can play the part.” Her face went scarlet and she turned her gaze to the floor. “Trust me—he can play the part.”

Neither man said anything and she was willing to bet that if she looked up they’d be exchanging those secret looks they liked to give one another. Gasping in surprise when a set of long arms slid around her shoulders from behind, Iza leaned into Anakin’s chest and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Are you sure?” He asked, brushing the hair away from her forehead. “You’ll have to tell him.”

“Yeah,” a cold, hollow pit had opened in her belly at the thought. “I know.”

“Darling,” the warmth of Obi-Wan’s chest blanketing hers surrounded her with that overwhelming warmth she recalled from the first night at the bar. His fingers were gentle as they brushed beneath her chin to draw her attention to him. “There are other options.”

“ _No_ , Obi-Wan.” Anakin narrowed his eyes and tightened his hold possessively around the brunette.

“Your Captain has expressed his willingness to help in the past, Anakin,” giving the younger man a look, Obi-Wan turned his gaze back to Iza. “Ultimately, it is up to you, my dear.”

Iza was a little shaken up at the idea of recruiting _Rex_ as a third party for the job. She couldn’t imagine treating the Clone Captain the way she treated Catcher; it was almost shameful to even try. Her hesitance must’ve shown on her face because the next thing she knew, two sets of lips were brushing against different sides of her face, startling her out of her thoughts. _Well_ —that was an interesting feeling. Caught between two of them like this, knowing just how different each was from the other, but feeling the same amount of affection coming from that quick little gesture. Someone’s hand was on her thigh, brushing over the still-healing road rash in a manner she supposed was meant to be soothing. Maybe it would’ve been if she had some fucking underwear on. Right now it felt like it was meant to coax her into making a decision she wasn’t sure she wanted to make.

It was getting warm— _hot_. Too hot. Anakin’s strong arms were like iron shackles around her shoulders, keeping her pinned in place while Obi-Wan’s ridiculously tender touch stroked over her skin and swept higher to her hips. Swallowing thickly, she shut her eyes and started to put her hands up like she might push them both away, only to clench her fingers and drop them back at her sides.

“You’re both _bastards_ ,” laughing nervously, the brunette squirmed between them and bit down on her tongue.

“We’ve heard that before,” Anakin snickered in her ear before he kissed it and nipped at the shell. “Is it a complaint or a compliment, sweetness?”

“ _Both_.”

“I suppose we’ll take it,” Obi-Wan smiled and swept his thumb against her chin, sighing quietly. “We do need an answer, darling.”

“I can’t ask Rex,” shaking her head, she pressed her lips together in a weak smile. “It wouldn’t look natural. It has to be Catcher. Despite how he might react—it has to be him.”

“If you’re afraid of what he’ll do—”

“I can handle him.” She could. She’d been the one to subdue him in the bar when he’d lost his shit over his grabby-handed brother, and she was always the one who talked him down from his other violently possessive behaviors. This wasn’t going to be a fun task and it would likely be the thing that ruined their relationship, but she needed to be _honest_ with him. In more ways than one. “Has he returned to Coruscant?”

“I believe so,”

“Send for him.”

“Iza—”

“Anakin,” putting her hand up, she tilted her head back to look at him and shook her head. “I _told_ you. I do not love any of you any more or less than the other.” She pretended not to see Obi-Wan’s surprised expression. “He will understand. You must learn to understand, too.”

“And him?” Gesturing to the Jedi in front of them, Anakin raised an eyebrow.

Letting her eyes drift back to Obi-Wan, Iza smiled softly and brought her hands up to cup his bearded face and stroke her thumbs against his cheeks.

“I don’t know. _Do you_ understand, _darling?_ ”

Obi-Wan let out a soft laugh and bowed his head to steal a quick, soft kiss. When he pulled back, he gave her a look and then shifted his gaze to Anakin.

“ _Just like you_ , this one. Breaking her own rules.”

“I’ll take that as a _yes?_ ” Iza pulled his attention back to her and got a slow nod in return.

“Of course I understand,” another kiss was pressed to her forehead. “I just hope _you_ understand that this will not be as easy as it sounds, darling,”

“I know,” she blew out a breath and let out a bitter sort of laugh. “But it feels like it might be worth it.”

The squeeze Anakin gave to her shoulders surprised her, but not as much as the hard kiss he gave to the side of her head. Shutting her eyes when he lingered and made it clear he wasn’t going to let go anytime soon, the brunette smiled faintly and brought her hands up to run them along his forearms. He didn’t need to say anything; she knew what he was thinking. She could feel his gratitude in the air around him.

“We should get back to the hotel,” Obi-Wan murmured, breaking the sweet moment between the two with some reluctance. “If we’re going to get your Catcher here on time, we’ll need to make the call now.”

“All right,” nodding, Iza accepted the quick kiss he gave, and then the one that Anakin planted on her cheek before breaking away to find something to cover her lower half. She could feel their eyes on her as she bent at the knee to pick up her travel bag instead of blatantly bending over, casting a quick glance to watch them both look away like they hadn’t done anything suspicious at all. “ _Bastards_ , both of you.”

~*~*~*~

“I haven’t seen you do that since you were a child,”

Iza looked up from where she’d been sitting on the couch, one finger twisted in her hair as she tugged absently. Funny—she hadn’t even noticed she’d started doing it. The old habit was something she’d carried over from her days as a Padawan when she used to get nervous around Master Windu. It’d eventually escalated into something of an addiction that helped to stem any anxieties or feelings of inadequacy during her training, and she’d all but kicked the habit since meeting Catcher. She didn’t need to pull at her hair so violently when she had someone else to do it for her.

“Sorry,” smiling at Obi-Wan when he came to sit beside her, she dropped her hand into her lap and fidgeted with the hem of her tunic instead. “I guess I’m a little on edge.”

“Worried about what he’ll say?” Offering her a sip from his glass of whisky, he was surprised when she refused.

“More like about what he might _do_.” Grimacing, Iza stared down at her bare toes and hesitated. “You know how Anakin has a temper?”

“I’m aware, yes,”

“Take that and multiply it by about… _ten_. And then add a little bit of physical violence to it and you’ve got my Commander.”

Obi-Wan’s face suddenly became _extremely_ concerned. Setting his glass aside, he turned to look at her and reached to gingerly nudge her chin so she’d look at him in the eye.

“Iza,” he frowned hard, searching her eyes for something. “Has he…?”

“No,” it was an honest answer. “Never with me. I think he knows I could kill him without even trying. He’s never directed any of that anger at me.”

“I’m not sure I want to leave you alone with him, regardless.”

“Obi-Wan,” turning in her spot, Iza took his hand in hers and squeezed before bringing his knuckles to her lips. “Please trust me. He may yell. He might hit or throw something. But he’s not going to hurt _me_ , and I promise I won’t let him lay a hand on either of _you_.”

The elder Jedi was not convinced.

“Darling,” extending a finger to brush it along her scarred cheek, he frowned hard. “Perhaps it would be best if Anakin and I just stayed in the next room?”

“ _No_.” It was her turn to utilize that stern look he often liked to give to her and Anakin when he meant business. “I need to talk to him without you two around. You’ll only make it worse.”

Obi-Wan let out a heavy sigh and looked very much like he wanted to protest. Iza wasn’t going to allow it; she knew what to expect with Catcher’s temper and they didn’t. They’d likely overreact to something that _wasn’t_ all that bad. At least—not in her eyes. She could handle herself around her Commander and they needed to trust that. Silently relenting, the elder of the two gave a slow nod and started to lean in like he might kiss her when Iza suddenly stiffened and moved off of the couch. Before he had the chance to ask her what the matter was, he heard the booming laugh of the Clone Commander in the hall followed by Anakin’s distinct chuckle. They’d arrived from the shipyard.

Iza stood fumbling with her fingers as she waited for the door to open, shifting her weight uneasily. The conversation between the two men was cut short as soon as the Clone caught sight of her, a slow smile spreading across his face. Dropping his bag as he came further into the room, he opened his arms and grunted when the petite Jedi practically threw herself into them.

“ _Little Bit_ ,” he hugged her to him hard enough to make her grunt. “I missed you.”

Looking on as Iza dug her nails into the broad shoulders of the other man, Anakin felt Obi-Wan pull at his arm and ground his teeth. He didn’t want to leave. He also didn’t want to stand around and watch the display before him, but he had a bad feeling about leaving the two alone together. He knew he couldn’t keep her from doing whatever she wanted to do with Catcher. It was part of the agreement that the Clone took priority and he’d agreed to it. But he couldn’t pretend that it didn’t burn him up inside to see her hold him so desperately. When Obi-Wan had to nudge him a second time, Anakin finally turned to go. By the end of the night, all of this would be settled. He had to keep reminding himself of that. This would be _settled_ and she would still be _theirs_.

As soon as the door slid shut behind the two men, Iza pulled back and grabbed Catcher’s face in both of her hands, pulling him in for a rough kiss that would surely leave their mouths bruised. _Maker_ , she’d missed the taste of him— _the smell of him_. The feel of those big hands as they grabbed her hips and hauled her flush against his chest, and the sharp way he _always_ nipped at her bottom lip in between kisses. Already she could feel him getting hard against her thigh and she wanted nothing more than to drag him into the bedroom and show him just how much she’d missed him too. But they needed to talk, and she had the worst feeling that the things she had to tell him would ruin any fun they _might_ have had with each other. Drawing in a shivery breath when he slid his hands beneath her tunic and dragged hot palms up the bare skin of her back, Iza whined into his mouth and damn near caved right then and there.

“ _Wait_ ,” pulling back as much as she could, she laughed when he followed and continued stealing wet kisses from her. Soft growls rumbled in his chest each time she tried to dodge him until eventually he cupped the side of her head to hold her in place. Turning away, Iza gave his jacket a hard tug to get his attention and panted as she stared at him. “ _Catcher_ , stop.”

“They’re not here,” he gestured to the empty room and pulled her tighter against his pelvis. “Skywalker said—”

“We need to talk,”

 _That_ seemed to get his attention. Jerking his head back to look at her, the Clone Commander frowned hard and squinted like he was trying to get a read on her before he spoke.

“ _Talk_ about… what, Little Bit?” He tilted his head and waited while she gathered her thoughts, looking impatient.

“Everything,” she’d give her whole universe to take that look off his face right then. “Catch, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think Master Windu would find out.”

“Yeah—well if someone hadn’t taken my comm and _used it_ in front of him, I don’t think it would’ve been an issue.” Making a face, the dark haired man heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes. “You know I keep that shit locked up, Iza. I didn’t think anyone would be able to get to the private files.”

“Love, it’s a comm disc.” She had to press her lips together to stop herself from smiling. “They’re stupidly easy to fuck with. A youngling could find the filth you kept on it.”

“What else?” He reached up and brushed the hair out of her face, frowning lightly before moving it away from her neck. Iza held her breath and counted to about three before she heard the start of a savage growl in his throat. “Is that…?”

“Catcher,” both hands came up to rest on his chest, as if they could restrain him with their placement alone. “ _Don’t_.”

“What have you done?” Dark eyes bored down into hers as he straightened and loomed over her. It was such a threatening stance, yet Iza didn’t feel an ounce of fear at all. “ _Iza_ ,”

“I _warned_ you what this assignment was going to entail,” putting a little more pressure behind her palms she didn’t dare break eye contact. “You agreed not to get upset.”

“ _You let them **mark** you._” He didn’t _need_ to prod the dark lovebite on her neck as roughly as he did, but Catcher was going to do it anyway. “And you don’t want me to be _upset?_ ”

“Things have _happened_ , Catcher,” bracing her bare feet against the floor to anchor herself in place, Iza prepared herself for a tantrum. The Clone was famous for them; this room would be ripped to shreds if she didn’t keep him calm. “You need to understand—”

“I understand that you’re a _whore!_ ” Did he really have to do that? Did he really have to get in her face and say something so rotten? And to follow it up with such a filthy look— _honestly_. It was like he was trying to break her heart.

“You don’t mean that,” her eyes burned with the need to cry but Iza couldn’t lose herself now. It didn’t matter what he said to her or how he said it; she needed to maintain her focus and keep him from going absolutely thermal. “I know you don’t mean that, Catch.”

“Don’t I, sweetheart?” His tone was so fucking _bitter_. Iza wondered what had happened to the man who’d walked in here so happy to see her not minutes before. She truly hated his ability to turn into a completely different person when he got upset like this. She understood that he was hurt, and she fully believed he had every reason and right to be. She’d lied to him; she’d kept details from him about this mission that she shouldn’t have. But in her own defense—there were things that had been kept from _her_ , and she honestly hadn’t expected for any of this to happen.

“Catcher, please,” moving her hands a little lower to his abdomen, she pressed harder like it would do something to push back the beast steadily trying to make its way out of him. “Please just listen,”

“Oh, I’m listening, sweetheart. I’m _all_ fucking ears,” he looked like he wanted to shove her off and the only reason he hadn’t was because he knew she could hurt him with a flick of the wrist and a single _thought_ if she wanted to. “ _Talk_.”

“I love you,” leaning into him cautiously, she knew softening the blow likely wouldn’t do any good. “Please believe me when I say I love you so much.”

He didn’t say anything. He just clenched his teeth and glared at something over her shoulder. She could feel the tension in his body and saw the way his hands were flexing at his sides. He was waiting for the _but_.

“I have it in me…” she started slow, giving soft little passes of her fingers against his abdomen to try and soothe him. She wasn’t sure it was working. “To love _all_ of you.”

“Tell me again how you’re not a whore?” Those dark eyes were so _cold_ when they fell on her again and she could feel her control breaking. This was exactly what she’d been afraid of and it was _why_ she’d wanted to put the _no feelings_ rule into place. If she’d only been able to stick to it, then maybe she could’ve spared them both this pain.

“Catch—”

“Get off me,” he looked away again, sounding very much like he wasn’t going to tell her twice. When she didn’t respond or budge, he raised hesitant hands and brushed her off of him. “ _Get away from me, Iza!_ ”

Flinching, the brunette just stared after him when he stomped toward where he’d left his bag. Surely he didn’t think he was going to go back to Coruscant? She needed him for a job; he couldn’t just _leave_.

“Catcher!” She watched him throw his hand up at her and blow her off. Oh— _hell no._ “ _At attention, Commander!_ ”

He stiffened and bunched his shoulders, letting out a harsh breath before he dropped his bag and turned around to glare at her. They stared at one another for a few tense moments until the taller man scoffed at her and shook his head.

“ _What_ do you want?”

“You can’t leave,” her voice was rough and the tears burning the back of her eyes threatened to bubble forth, but Iza wasn’t going to back down. “I _need_ you, Catch.”

“You need _me_ or you need my dick, General?”

“What is _wrong_ with you?!” Coming over, Iza ripped the travel bag up from where he'd dropped it and threw it further into the room, ignoring the look he gave her in return. “I _get_ it, Catcher! I _get it_. I fucked up. I didn’t tell you when I should’ve—but it’s not like I’ve had any contact with you for the last few days!”

“That’s not my fault!”

“It’s not _my_ fault either!”

Someone was going to call the police if they got any louder. Iza’s throat was starting to hurt from all the yelling and with the way Catcher’s neck kept getting redder and redder, he was getting close to losing his shit. Something was about to get a dent or a hole punched into it and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop him.

“You’ve been holed up with those two fucks for almost two weeks—getting your rocks off!” The smile on his lips was downright _nasty_. “You don’t know shit about what I’ve had to deal with, sweetheart. I’ve done nothing but _miss you_ this entire time and you’ve got nothing to tell me other than you can _love all of us?_ Go fuck yourself, Tacor.”

“You completely missed the part where I told you _I love you_ , Catcher. _You_. Fucking **_YOU_**.” Now _she_ was going to hit something—most likely _him_. “I did the thing we promised each other we wouldn’t fucking do and you’re so busy being pissed off that I fucked someone else—”

“You _fell in love_ with someone else, sweetheart,” could that smile get any fucking meaner? “That’s a little different.”

“But it doesn’t change how I feel about _you_ ,” stomping her feet like a child, Iza didn’t know what to do with herself. She wanted to throw something and scream, wanted to take him by his shoulders and shake him until it sunk into his brain that he wasn’t any less important to her. “I haven’t _replaced_ you, Catcher.”

“Sure about that, sweetheart?”

Iza had always known Catcher would never physically hurt her. He could scream and yell and punch the things around her physical space—but he’d never lay a finger on her. But something about that statement made her feel like he’d reached out and straight up socked her in the stomach. He’d knocked the wind out of her with just a few words, made the edges of her vision bleed black and go fuzzy, and caused such a sharp pain inside of her that she found it difficult to breathe. She was going to be sick. No, she was going to scream. She would scream and be sick and lose her mind all in one go. Backing up from him a few paces, she felt the buildup of tears starting to fall and as she turned to stumble away from him, he reached for her.

Bad idea.

She shouldn’t have swatted at his hand so violently. Maybe that would’ve kept the storm from coming to a head. He tried again with his other hand and yelled something when she shoved him off. She couldn’t tell if it was meant to coax or control her, but she’d stopped listening. His next attempt to take hold of her was met with a solid shove of her hands against his shoulders, knocking him back and flipping a switch inside of him that had him charging back at her. She took the challenge for what it was and met him halfway, shouting half in pain and half in frustration when their shoulders clashed and their hands met in a tight grapple. He was so much taller than her that he could’ve easily had the upper hand if she let him, but she’d trained against bigger opponents. And she was just so _furious_ with him that there was no way she’d let him overpower her now.

They growled in each other’s ears as they shouldered and shoved into one another, trying to knock the other off their feet. Iza felt him hook a foot around the back of one of her ankles and rip it out from under her, and she was almost too late to shake one of her hands free to throw it back and stop herself from falling with a wall of Force energy. Hovering there with him half on top of her, she grit her teeth and shoved her bare foot flat against his stomach, shoving him off so she could right herself. Iza probably should’ve felt bad when he stumbled back into the dining table and knocked it to the floor, but her mind was so focused on _fighting_ him that she found she cared little for anything else going on.

“Fucking cheat,” he snapped, getting to his feet.

“Not cheating.” She spat back, trying to map out his movements as he stalked forward.

“None of your magic shit,” he waved a hand mockingly and picked up the pace, almost toppling her with the amount of force he put behind the next shove of his chest into hers. “ _Bodies only_.”

“Fine,” they could settle this like soldiers if that was what he wanted. Dropping to a crouch, she wrapped her arms around his middle and propelled herself forward to slam him down onto his back, rolling him flat beneath her. Grunting when she pinned him with his face smashed against the floor, Catcher pushed himself up and twisted around to grab her. Her sweat slick body slipped out of his grasp easily and before he knew it, she had both thighs wrapped around his waist and was attempting to put him in a headlock.

“No you don’t!” He growled, grabbing hold of her bunched up tunic. He yanked hard, hearing the material rip as he managed to haul her over his head and toss her flat on her back.

Iza yelped when she hit the ground and rolled away before he could pin her. Snarling at him, she got to her feet and charged him, tackling him back down again. Grabbing both of his wrists, she pinned them above his head and straddled his stomach, sitting down hard to knock the wind out of him and keep him pinned. She was starting to grin smugly at her victory when Catcher brought his legs up and hooked his knees beneath her underarms, using all of his lower body strength to lift her off and slam her down on her back again. His legs kept her pinned by the shoulders as he sat up awkwardly and perched himself on her belly.

Iza panted hard beneath him, glaring at him as he grinned. If he thought he was going to win that easily, he had another thing coming. Wrapping her arms around his thighs, she planted her feet flat on the floor and shoved her hips up with a shout, lifting him so suddenly that he lost his balance and toppled over onto his stomach. Iza was quick to slap her hands down on his shoulders as she laid herself against his back and tangled her legs with his to keep him immobile. Neither of them moved as they panted hard, their bodies throbbing with each pulse of their hearts.

“Tap out.” She growled at him.

“No.” He hissed back, trying to push himself up again.

Pushing him down with her palms, she tried again.

“ _Tap out_!”

“I said…” Catcher swiftly rolled over onto his back, nearly crushing her beneath him. He pushed her legs off of his and flipped over to tack her down with his body. Glaring into her eyes as he panted, he shook his head. “ _No_.”

Iza wheezed beneath him, squirming as she tried to wriggle her way out from underneath his much bigger body. In the back of her mind, she was surprised that she’d lasted this long against him. Part of her wondered if he’d been afraid of hurting her, while the other insisted it was because she’d been trained for this sort of shit and knew what she was doing.

Sweat dripped from Catcher’s face onto Iza’s, his brown eyes watching her, waiting for her to make another move. When it became clear that she wasn’t going to try anything, he smirked.

“Tap out.”

“Fuck you.” She spat, managing to get one hand free to push his shoulder.

Catcher grabbed her wrist and anchored it to the carpet.

“ _Tap out_.”

“ _NO!_ ” Winding her legs around his waist to try and shove him up, Iza gasped sharply when his hips ground down against hers, pressing a _very_ imposing erection against the notch between her thighs.

The Clone waited for her to say something, but she didn’t. Instead, she used her other hand to grab him by the hair at the back of his head, and lifted her head up from the carpet to kiss him roughly. Growling into her mouth, Catcher kissed her with bruising force, hissing when she tugged at his hair and rolled her hips against him. Letting go of her wrist, he lifted his torso a little and grabbed her tits in both hands, squeezing hard, pinching her nipples into tight peaks until she squealed into his mouth. He rocked against her with heavy drags of his hips, feeling her try to match his movements.

“Let me up,” she hissed between kisses that threatened to split their lips open. “Dammit Catch, _let me up_!”

Letting go of her chest, the Clone pushed himself up just enough to give her room to move. Twisting over onto her belly, Iza tucked her knees beneath her and planted her palms against the floor, pushing her ass against his cock, grinding on him.

“Fuck me.” She ordered, turning her head to bite his bottom lip. “Catcher, I said _now_!”

With the carelessness of a child ripping open a present, Catcher grabbed the waist of Iza’s leggings and dragged them down over her ass. He yanked his trousers out of the way and lined himself up, grabbing her shoulder for leverage as he slammed deep into her creaming cunt and shouted out. Iza’s arms gave out at the first thrust, sending her crashing against the carpet. She tasted blood on her tongue. She didn’t care. Digging her nails into the ugly beige carpeting, she shoved back just as Catcher surged forward.

“Oh _fuck!_ ” She shrieked, arching back. _Damn_ , this was intense. He felt huge as each rough glide of his cock filled her, stretched her, scraping nerves along her inner walls that made her tremble and almost scream. She wasn’t prepared for the sharp, stinging slap that landed on her ass cheek, and cried out in aroused shock. “ _Catcher!_ ”

“Stubborn little girl.” He growled through gnashed teeth, slapping her ass again. “You’re such a fucking _bitch,_ sometimes.”

“Speak for yourself,” she breathed, scratching her nails down the surface of the carpet, nearly tearing it open. “You’re such an _asshole_ ,”

Catcher chuckled behind her and rammed to his full length, all the way to the balls. The sound of her startled sob sent delicious shivers up his spine.

“You know how you— _fuck_ —say you’ve got enough room in your heart for three?”

“Yeah?”

“You better remember who the fuck you _really_ belong to, sweetheart.” He snarled, grasping her hips to haul her back into his ruthless banging.

“I...” Iza whimpered, gritting her teeth against another scream. “I can remember.”

“Do you promise?”

Letting out a weak chuckle, the younger woman melted against the floor at the next powerful thrust. She could feel the torn material of her tunic sagging around her shoulders, exposing her tits so her nipples dragged against the surface of the rug. Turning her head a little to try and look at him, she smirked. “Of course. It’s not _hard_ , Catch.”

“That right?” Catcher reached down and took hold of the length of her hair, wrapping the ends around his hand to tug just enough to make her moan.

“Not at all,” She shut her eyes and clenched her teeth against another hot wave of pleasure, shoving her hips back. “I’ve always been yours, Catch. _And you’re **mine**_.”

“I fucking _hope so_ , sweetheart,” The dark haired man sounded amused as he rode her harder, the head of his cock butting against her cervix. _God_ , he loved being this deep. Especially when she started to tighten on him and made his head spin. So hot. So slick. So tight. Shit, he wasn’t going to last.

Iza only nodded and let out a sobbing mewl, her torso twisting as she writhed on the carpet beneath him. Her body ached with the need to come, squeezing around his dick in sweet pulses that made Catcher snarl and grunt like a caveman. He swatted her ass again, but the Jedi could barely register the pain as it melted into pure pleasure that pushed her closer and closer to the edge. Finding enough strength to prop herself on her elbows, Iza rocked back into his thrusts harder and harder and harder, each jolting impact pressing the head of his cock to that wonderful little spot inside of her. Another harsh spank kicked her screaming into orgasm, the fiery sensation only intensified by each slam of his body against her ass.

Catcher sucked in a breath as she convulsed around him, her body milking him with every rippling pulse. Growling, he leaned over her, pressing his belly against her back, and braced his hands on the floor in front of her shoulders. Using just his hips, the brown eyed man fucked in and out of her, harder, deeper, until he crammed the full length of his cock and held himself deep in her creaming grip as the heat poured into him and out of him in pulsing, white hot jets. Shouting her name in her ear, Catcher sank against her, his head dropping against her shoulder as he panted and wheezed into her hair.

Iza’s body slumped against the carpet, taking Catcher with her, and she lay there whimpering with her unfocused eyes half open and her lover’s hot breath on her neck. She felt Catcher’s palms slide along her arms and curl his fingers around her tingling hands, grasping them tight as his body twitched against her back.

“I love you.” He slurred in her ear, pressing a light kiss to it.

Squeezing his hand, she nodded and panted back. “I love you too.”

~*~*~*~

“What have you done?”

Obi-Wan’s voice startled Iza from her nap and she grunted when she felt a possessive, muscled arm go around her middle and hold her tight against a broad chest. Giving Catcher’s hand a reassuring pat, she started to sit up and rubbed her hand over her face.

“We should’ve gone into the bedroom. I’m sorry—”

“Darling, you’re black and blue,” he sounded ridiculously concerned and he looked it as he came further into the room that lay in shambles around them. She didn’t like the look he was giving Catcher and she leaned back into the Clone Commander’s chest protectively, resting her head against his.

“It’s not what you think,”

“I think the two of you need some help,” Anakin muttered from where he stood looking at the upturned dining table. “Sweetness, I understand your fondness for… _whatever_ you’d call this, but this is a little extreme.”

“It got a little out of hand,” shrugging, the brunette tried not to look sheepish as she pulled her tunic into place and tried to yank her leggings up over her hips, hissing quietly when the material dragged over the bruises there. “But we’re fine.”

“You’re in no shape to go out tonight,” Obi-Wan had crouched in front of the two and was inspecting the marks left behind on Iza’s shoulders and chest. Whatever these two had done to each other, it had not been kind. His gaze shifted to Catcher and narrowed lightly, earning him a quick swat from the brunette. “ _Excuse me_ ,”

“Leave him alone,” she frowned, huffing. “I started it.”

“Little Bit—”

“ _Be quiet_ , Catcher,” folding her arms over her chest, Iza shifted her gaze between the two Jedi in front of her and raised an eyebrow. “The two of you are well versed in how I like to fuck. Where do you think I learned it?”

Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged a look before their gazes drifted back to her. Putting both hands up, Obi-Wan got to his feet.

“Very well,” no, he wasn’t going to argue with her. “Do yourselves a favor and use a bit of bacta. You look terrible.”

“I’ve got some in the bag,” gesturing to his travel bag behind him, Catcher sat up and moved to grab it.

“You make it sound like you knew you were going to need it.” Iza teased, carefully getting to her feet. _Damn_ , she hurt. She was going to need a fucking break from all of this for a few days.

Biting his tongue so he wouldn’t outright laugh, Catcher shook his head at her.

“ _No_ , sweetheart. I’m your Commander, remember? I have to keep these things in the _Med Kit_.”

“Right next to the Force cuffs and—”

“ _Iza_ ,” he shot her a look, pressing his lips together tight in an effort not to smile as he shook his head. “ _Hush._ ”

“You can’t make me,” sticking her tongue out, the brunette started to head into the kitchenette, eyeing Anakin as she passed. Giving the front of his shirt a little pluck, she jerked her head in motion for him to follow. He did without fuss, leaning up against a counter while she went into the refrigerator for water and something to eat. Looking at him over her shoulder, she smiled and raised an eyebrow. “How are you doing, Skywalker?”

“I’m fine,” as fine as he could be. “How’d he take it?”

Iza snorted and turned to gesture at herself.

“Honey, how do you think it went? We’re soldiers, Ani. This is how we handle our shit.” Smiling, she leaned up to kiss his cheek. “I’m okay. I promise.”

“You’re not a soldier,” he frowned, giving her a look. “You’re a Jedi.”

“I’m _complicated_. How’s that?”

“I’ll second that.” Catcher’s voice filled the small space of the kitchenette as he came in with the little pan of bacta salve in his hand. Looking between the two, there was a moment where Iza saw the Clone’s whole body tense and twitch, but he seemed to relax once his eyes settled on her again. “Do you want me to do this?”

“I can manage.” Offering one of the water bottles and the container of fruit she’d pulled from the fridge in trade, she glanced between the two men and raised an eyebrow. “If I leave you alone—”

“What did we discuss?” Catcher asked, cracking the bottle open without looking at her.

“I’m just double checking, love. I don’t think Obi-Wan could handle both of you blowing your lids at once.”

“Can _you?_ ” Anakin’s challenging smile made her shiver in the worst way and she punched his arm with a huff.

“ _Di’kut_.”

“Love you too, sweetness.”

Shaking her head at both of them, Iza grumbled under her breath and left the kitchenette. Once they were alone, a light sort of tension stretched between Catcher and Anakin. Neither man seemed to want to speak, but the Clone was going to be the first to break the silence anyway.

“This arrangement,” he took a long swallow of water and kept his eyes focused on the ugly floor tiles. “How does it work?”

“What do you mean?” Folding his arms, Anakin tilted his head, watching the other man glance at him briefly before he shrugged and looked away again.

“I’m not expected to do anything, right? I can just… be with her?”

 _Oh_.

“Yeah. That’s how it works. We know she’s all you’re here for and that’s fine.” Shrugging, Anakin waved a hand. “Did she not explain this?”

“She did,” leaning against the opposite counter, Catcher took another long sip. “But I wanted to hear it from one of you. I trust her. _I do_. But Little Bit has a way of skirting around things and not giving full details to shit.”

“I feel like this is one of those times when she’d be fully transparent with you, Catcher,” glancing around the corner to make sure the brunette wasn’t going to sneak up on them, Anakin leaned in and lowered his voice. “And for the record—neither of us expected _this_ sort of arrangement out of it. This was strictly supposed to be—”

“I know what it was. Bly was pretty vocal about what you two did with General Secura.” Snorting, Catcher pursed his lips lightly. “I had a feeling that’s what she was getting herself into when she said she had an assignment with the two of you. And when she comm’d me that first night? _Yeah_. I know my girl pretty well, and she’s _needy_ —but that was a different kind of needy.”

“You can blame _that_ bastard,” pointing over his shoulder to indicate he meant Obi-Wan, Anakin scoffed. “I won’t claim to be innocent in the matter but… the majority was his fault.”

“You’ve opened up a can, you realize?”

“I think we’re starting to see that, yeah.”

“It took a long time for me to get her to where she was. You Jedi are… _ridiculously_ sexually repressed.”

“That’s kind of what the arrangement was for,” grimacing, the taller man rubbed the back of his neck. “Companionship—in a sense—but also to sort of release some of the tension. Keeps the balance, so to speak.”

“You’ve sparked the fire.” Snorting, Catcher set the water bottle aside in favor of opening the fruit container. “She tells me you’re even going to let her bed a _woman_.”

“You’ve never thought of it?”

“She’s never asked.” He turned a hand up. “I didn’t know she was interested, honestly.”

“Neither did we. But—as many a Jedi has learned— _this_ particular woman has a charm about her that is hard to resist.” Anakin smiled tightly, the look almost bitter on his face.

Catcher studied him for a moment before popping a piece of fruit into his mouth and offering the container to him.

“You don’t approve,” he watched the other man take a cubed piece of meiloorun. “Why?”

“She’s…”

“ _You’re so **nosey** ,_” Iza’s voice had both men turning to see her shaking her head with her hands propped on her hips. Tutting softly, the brunette reached to take a blumfruit from the container, popping it into her mouth. “You can ask me these things, you know.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” offering an apologetic smile, Catcher tried not to look guilty. Getting a quiet hum in return, he made a face when she held up the tin of bacta salve and traded it for the fruit container. “My turn?”

“Mmhmm…” Eyeing him, Iza reached up to pull the neck of his blacks down and studied the damage done. “Although—you’re not nearly as bad off.”

“Maybe not on the surface. I promise, it hurts.”

“I’m sorry,” standing on her toes to give him a sweet kiss, Iza laughed when he pulled back and wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, I hate the smell too. Just go.”

“Yes sir,” giving a mock salute, he got a light smack to his backside in return and grinned on his way out.

When he was gone, Iza rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, turning to Anakin with a raised brow.

“What are _you_ smiling at, _di’kut?_ ”

“You like that word, don’t you?” Tentatively, he reached out and looped an arm around her to pull her in.

“It’s fun to say.”

“It’s _mean_.”

“Well, it’s one of the only words I know.” Leaning into him, Iza smiled when Anakin started rubbing a thumb against her lower back in slow passes. “Are you two getting along?”

“I think so,” nodding, the younger man dipped his head and kissed her, frowning once he pulled back. “Did you split your lip?”

“Maybe,” shrugging, she kissed him again. “Doesn’t hurt.” Giving a tiny jerk of her head, she raised an eyebrow. “Has he said anything about…?”

“He was curious as to how it will work. I think he was worried you’d fibbed a bit, sweetness.”

“I told him the truth. Honest.”

“I know you did.” Soft lips brushed her forehead and lingered near her hairline. “But he’ll need time to adjust. I think we all will. _You_ , especially.”

“What do you mean?”

“ _Iza_ ,” pulling back to look at her, Anakin cupped her face and smiled faintly. “Your efforts are valiant. They are. But it takes a lot to distribute your love to _three_ different people. Three _very_ different people. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Don’t question me, Anakin Skywalker,” frowning, the brunette started to pull back from his grasp only to have him hold her still and plant a tiny kiss to her lips.

“I just don’t want you to feel like you _have_ to stretch yourself so thin.”

“I _told_ you,” giving the front of his shirt a hard tug, Iza pouted. “I have enough love in me to give to all three of you. As long as you’re willing to cooperate and try this with me, we can make it happen.”

“I believe you,” he scattered tiny kisses over her cheeks and down the bridge of her nose. “But you still need to talk to Obi-Wan. He’s under the impression that you’re trying to make this work for the sake of _our_ happiness and not yours, sweetness.”

“Then I will speak to him,” shutting her eyes as he brushed his lips over them, the brunette couldn’t stop the tiny smile that made its way onto her lips. “But I want you to promise me something.”

“What would that be?”

“ _Be nice_ to Catcher while I take Obi-Wan out for the evening. I don’t want to come back and find that you’ve gotten into a fight or killed each other.” Holding a hand up when he opened his mouth, she grinned. “I will tell him the same.”

“I will behave,” he promised, giving her forehead one last kiss. “Go. I’ll clean up the mess you two animals made.”

“We didn’t _mean_ to,” sticking her tongue out as she pulled away, Iza grabbed the container of fruit from the counter and shrugged lightly. “We’ve never gotten that bad before.”

“I suspect he’s never been hurt that bad before,” nodding towards the bedroom, Anakin sighed. “You know that’s what it was, right? He wasn’t angry with you, Iza. He was hurt.”

“I know. I can still feel it in the air. I smell it.”

“All I smell is sex.” Wrinkling his nose, Anakin laughed when the older Jedi reached out and swatted his arm. “ _Well_ ,”

“I’m going to let my Commander know the plans for tonight. You do whatever you’re going to do, Skywalker.”

“ _Yes ma’am._ ”


	10. Your Blade It Might Be Too Sharp

“You look lovely, darling,” Obi-Wan’s smile was soft and genuine as he walked alongside Iza down the busy street, his arm settled comfortably around her waist.

“I’m glad you like it,” the younger Jedi returned the smile bashfully, leaning into his side before glancing down at the dark green dress she wore. It fit snugly to her form, but had a far more modest neckline than what she’d been made to wear as of late. The open back and high slits up the sides more than made up for it, but at least she felt _clothed_. “I was afraid you’d make me change.”

“While I admit I’ve become quite fond of seeing _all_ of you on display,” blue eyes looked her over slowly before his smile became slightly more devious. “I do appreciate the demure look on you, my dear. It serves to remind me just how _wretched_ you truly are, knowing how sweet you can make yourself appear in that dress.”

“Would you consider this _demure?_ ” Raising an eyebrow, Iza had to laugh. She hadn’t even been able to put on anything beneath it and she was _sure_ he knew it.

“Darling,” he reached up and gave her chin a pinch with his free hand. “I paraded you around in fine mesh and a leather collar. _In public._ I would indeed consider this a very conservative step-up from the things I’ve seen you in.”

“Fair point,” giving a shrug, she hummed lightly at the kiss he placed on her cheek and nudged him in the direction of the little park she’d intended to take him to. It wasn’t much, but they didn’t have anything like it on Coruscant and she had a feeling he might enjoy it. He seemed to enjoy the meditation garden at the Temple quite a bit, and the rows of pretty trees and flowers reminded her of the sacred area. For a city that held so many secret clubs full of debauchery, it sure made up for it with this small patch of serene beauty.

“Where are you taking me?” Obi-Wan asked with a soft chuckle as the concrete beneath their feet turned into rounded stone.

“Somewhere we can be alone,” giving him a look, the brunette poked the tip of her tongue out at him playfully and continued to lead him down the path until they reached a viewing platform overlooking a man-made lake. The water was black and mostly still, the stars reflecting upon its glassy surface like shimmering lights. Leaning up against the railing, Iza let out a soft sigh and looked over when the elder Jedi joined her, his arms crossing against the top of the beam.

“It’s peaceful out here,” he said after a while, his eyes never straying from the water. “It’s a nice change from the fuss of the city.”

“I thought you might like that,” Resting her head against his shoulder, she smiled when he turned to drop a kiss to her hair. “Obi-Wan?”

“Hm?”

“You know I’m not like Master Secura, right?” Tilting her head up to look at him, she wasn’t too surprised by the startled look she got in return.

“Darling, I’m not sure I know what you mean,” frowning, he pushed back from the railing just enough to look at her.

“I _can_ do this,” her hands went to his waist to pull him to her. “I _want_ to do this. You two infuriate me, but no more than Catcher does.” Smiling briefly, she leaned in and rested her chin in the center of his chest. “I know you feel it, Obi-Wan. You feel what I’m trying to tell you.”

“Iza,” he looked like he didn’t know what to say as he brought a hand up to palm her cheek. “My dear, sweet girl,”

“Let me love you too, Obi-Wan,” leaning into his hand, she turned to kiss the base of his thumb and closed her eyes. “You’re resisting. I know you feel like you can’t—or you _shouldn’t_. But what was the purpose of Bonding me if not—”

“Quiet,” lowering his head, he rested his forehead to hers and exhaled harshly. “Darling, you do not know what you’re asking of me.”

“You said you understood,” running her fingers along the buttons of his jacket, Iza frowned. “Did you lie to me again?”

“It was not a lie, darling,” he fiddled with a piece of her hair, twisting it around his fingers and almost refusing to open his eyes.

“You turn away from me whenever I reach out to you,” she’d taken hold of his lapels and was clutching them like she was afraid he might try and turn away now. “Yet—you haven’t broken the link. You must know how much that confuses me.”

“It’s not my intention.”

“What can I do? How can I prove—”

“ _Darling,_ ” he’d slipped his fingers into her hair and tightened them around the locks, pulling just enough to tilt her head back. After a long moment of just looking at her with a soft sort of sadness in his blue eyes, Obi-Wan shook his head and placed a devastatingly sweet kiss to her lips. “It’s not you.”

“I can _feel_ it in you, Obi-Wan,” She hadn’t come here to cry. She hadn’t come here to _beg_ with him. This was supposed to be a _nice_ night out, yet here she stood in this beautiful place on the verge of breaking down. “You want to. I know you do.”

“I cannot,”

“But you can claim me as your own. Touch and take my body as you please. Look at me and talk the way that you do?”

“ _Iza_ ,”

“That’s not fair,” she shook her head at him and gave his jacket a tug. “You can’t make me feel this way for you and then tell me _no_.”

He shut his eyes again, turning his head away as he combed his fingers through her hair the rest of the way. He wasn’t sure how to explain this to her without defaulting on the old excuse that he was a Jedi; this was not something they were supposed to do. He shouldn’t even encourage her to share her love with Anakin or Catcher, let alone with him. It would only cause problems in the long run, no matter how much she claimed she could love them equally. _Someone_ would always feel left out. _Someone_ would always become envious of the others. _Someone_ would always get hurt.

More often than not, _he_ was the **someone**. It was just better this way.

“You deserve to be happy, too,” her voice was so soft, so damn sweet. “Obi-Wan,”

“I’m plenty happy, my dear,” he doubted she’d believe him. _He_ wouldn’t believe him.

“You’re a fucking _liar_.”

There she went with that foul mouth of hers. He must really be upsetting her if she was unable to mind her tongue. The tiniest smile made his lips twitch and he let out a sound that he supposed was a laugh, but Obi-Wan still refused to look at her.

“You’re so vulgar,”

The first thump of her hand against his shoulder startled him enough to make him look back at her. The second had him grabbing hold of her wrists and doing his best to restrain her as she twisted and pulled against his hold. Her pretty face had gone bright scarlet and he could tell she was fighting valiantly against the need to either scream or cry. Poor thing; she’d had a rough couple of days. She deserved better than this, really.

“Just say it,” she snapped, tears filling her peridot eyes. “Just tell me I’m worth nothing to you other than a good fuck. _Just say it_.”

That hurt. He knew she meant for it to, but _damn._

“No,” he shook his head and grunted when she pulled harder at the hold he had on her. “Iza, _calm down_ ,”

“What good will that do?” Jerking her arms hard enough to nearly loosen the grip of his fingers, Iza practically snarled at him. “What will it change?”

“I cannot give you what you want,” it killed him to have to say it. “But darling, please—”

“You’re _horrible!_ ” Finding the strength she needed to finally rip out of his grasp, Iza pushed him back and moved a few steps away as well to put more space between them. “You’ve been so _good_ to me and… it’s… it’s all a fucking _ruse?_ ”

He wished she wouldn’t do this. Not here. Not now. Not at all. He couldn’t stand seeing her bare her soul to him like this. He could feel every ounce of raw pain from her as it flowed along their bond, could feel the unbearable heat of the unwanted hate that was quickly starting to overcome her. He didn’t want this. He never wanted this. From what he could tell, _she_ didn’t want it either.

“You’re a bastard,” clenching her teeth to stop her jaw from wobbling, Iza took another few steps back and shook a finger at him. “You’re the _worst_ kind of man, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

He watched, helpless, as she turned and stomped back up the path they’d come down, taking that heavy sense of fury with her. He didn’t want to let her leave like this; Anakin was going to skin him alive if he’d ruined everything _again_. But he couldn’t just go after her while she was like that. He’d seen the violent bruises on her shoulders from her little wrestling match with Catcher, and the leftover scrapes from tussling with Ventress the night before. She’d had one too many outbursts in such a small amount of time that he feared if she had one more, it could cause far too much damage than he’d be able to repair.

But he couldn’t just let her go.

Swearing under his breath, he took off after her. She hadn’t gotten very far. He found her kneeling in the middle of the walkpath—she must’ve fallen—with her head buried in her hands, shoulders shaking hard as she wailed into her palms. He really was a bastard, wasn’t he? His inability to trust himself—to trust that his own feelings wouldn’t leave him alone and empty—had royally screwed him over. _Again_. He didn’t know if he ought to run to her. Iza was always so hit or miss with when and how she liked to be comforted. It was usually best to just wait until she asked. But he couldn’t do that now, not when every sob felt like a punch to the gut. Moving slowly, he came up behind her and knelt on the uncomfortable stone path, sliding his arms around her middle to haul her back against his chest. He wasn’t surprised when she fought him, turning his head so she wouldn’t hit him in the face.

“ _Darling, please_ ,” he found he couldn’t restrain her. She moved too quickly and she emanated such a distressing amount of anguish that he worried he’d spark something terrible within her if he tried. “This hurts **_me_** too,”

“You’re so _phony!_ ” Iza yelled, growling as she twisted in his arms. “I fell for it! I fell for it like a damn _fool!_ ”

He was going to have to sever the link at this rate. She was beginning to make him sick and starting to stir his own uncomfortable emotions. Things he never wanted to bring to the surface were budging their way forward and the longer he clung to her in a desperate attempt to keep her from running away, the harder it was to keep hold of himself.

“Please stop,” he pressed his face into her hair and tightened his hold on her until she made a soft noise of discomfort. “Iza, my darling, _please_ —do not do this.”

“ _You knew_ ,” she’d stilled in his arms, panting harshly as she tried to catch her breath. “That’s why you didn’t object when Anakin picked me.”

Picking his head up, he found her staring at him with wild eyes. If the circumstances were different, he’d likely find the sight _alluring_.

“You knew about Catcher. You knew about the things I liked.” She’d grabbed hold of his arms at some point and was digging her nails in through the sleeves of his jacket as she glared at him. “You knew… I once pined for you. You had me picked from the bunch from the start.”

 _He needed to sever the link, now_. She’d reached too far for her own good and she knew too much. Funny how he hadn’t noticed. She must’ve used the distraction of her fury and sadness as means to seek answers to his reluctance. Clever little girl.

“ _Don’t,_ ” she must’ve felt him reaching out into the Force to find the seams of the bond. “Don’t take it from me, Obi-Wan.”

“Darling,” he breathed a heavy sigh into her hair and shook his head. “I cannot leave it. This is dangerous. For both of us.”

“Then be honest with me,” those sharp nails were like blades biting into his skin through his jacket sleeves. “Stop feeding me your pain to push me back, Obi-Wan,”

It _was_ his pain, wasn’t it? He’d started shoveling it all along the link the moment she’d started being too sweet. It was such a reflex for him to smother all of his emotions that he’d just _done it_ without a single thought. He hadn’t realized that he’d begun projecting his fears onto her in the process. There was a fair bit of Iza’s hurt lingering in the air as well—he’d be worried if there wasn’t—but most of it belonged to him. Anakin always did like to tell him that hiding his demons would ruin him. Perhaps it would’ve been wise to heed the warning.

“Obi-Wan,” her head collided with his in what he supposed was meant to be an affectionate gesture, but she’d moved too quickly and knocked their skulls hard enough to cause a dull ache where they met. He felt invisible fingers reaching along that tender bond between them, searching for answers to questions she hadn’t asked. They poked and prodded and picked through things at their leisure, unable to find what they were searching for. Frustrated, Iza wriggled in his arms and huffed like a pouting child, “ _Obi-Wan!_ ”

“Quiet, darling,” his lips brushed lightly against her cheek as he pulled her even closer to his chest. He knew the kind of fear she could feel inside of him; it was such a shameful sort of coldness and he wished he’d kept it locked away better. Iza didn’t need to see these things, to know these things. They were his private weaknesses. The fractures in his otherwise perfect outer shell that he kept covered from the rest of the world until this _other side_ of himself came out to play. Only Anakin knew of their existence, and **only** because the younger man was so intent on _knowing every damn thing_ about what made the elder Jedi the way that he was. Iza was right; he was an irritating little bastard, that Skywalker. But only _sometimes_.

“Just tell me,” he hated how hurt she sounded. It only piled on to the aching guilt in his chest. “Was any of it real?”

 _Fuck the Maker_.

“All of it,” he stared at the walkpath blindly as he whispered in her ear, feeling her tense up and start to shake all over again. “It’s all real, darling.”

“Then _why_ ,” Iza pawed at his arms again, leaning back into his chest and tilting her head further into his until she had to twist to bury her face in his neck. “ _Why won’t you…?_ ”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’re _already_ hurting me!”

“I know,” despite his rather placid outward appearance, it truly pained him to have to admit it.

“You’re deliberately trying to—”

“Iza,” bringing a hand up, he lightly wrapped his fingers against her jaw and dipped his head to press his lips to the spot between her eyes to silence her. “Yours is not the only heart that aches, darling. It’s unfair for you to even think that way right now.”

“Make it _stop_.” She’d taken hold of his jacket again and gave a hard tug to drive the point home. “Make it stop, Obi-Wan. _For both of us_.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that, once again, he couldn’t. It was all fine to let her feel however she wanted to feel for him. He would happily play along and do whatever was necessary to make sure she didn’t know the difference. But his mistake had been bonding her. Now she knew too much, _felt_ too much, and she’d be able to call him out when things didn’t seem right on his end. He just didn’t want to fucking get hurt again. He was so _tired_ of being hurt. It seemed as though whenever the universe allowed him even a single ounce of happiness, it was ripped away from him without mercy. If he gave in to what she asked for, who was to say that she wouldn’t be taken too?

“I love you,” _Force, help him_. Why’d she have to say it out loud? “Obi-Wan, you feel it. _You do_.”

“Please,” he couldn’t do this. She was tearing his resolve away every time she opened her mouth. “Iza—”

“It won’t work without you,” Iza seemed to struggle as she tried to get the words out. “And I can’t stay if you’re only going to lie.”

“That’s a dirty hand,” leaning back to look at her, he frowned hard. “You can’t do that.”

“But _you’re_ allowed to do whatever you please, right?”

“ _Iza,_ ”

“ _You_ bonded _me!_ _You_ told _me_ to trust you. _You_ told _me_ to reach for you.” Twisting around even more, Iza pulled herself free of his grasp and sat herself on the ground in front of him with her hands balled up against her thighs. “You took such _care_ of me, Obi-Wan. You say so many kind things and touch me so sweetly. What kind of fiend _are_ you to do these things and say you don’t—”

His hands had come up to grasp the sides of her head, pulling her in for a hard kiss. He wanted to be gentle; she deserved something softer than this. But he found he had little control over himself the moment his lips met hers and he tasted that awful bitterness of desperation. He wanted it gone, wanted it _off_ her tongue and replaced with something sweeter. He’d only been a little surprised when she lunged into him, her chest colliding hard with his. Her hurried attempts to fit herself in his lap seemed to be more about comfort than a need to have her lust fulfilled. He couldn’t blame her. The rounded stones of the walkpath were quite unforgiving on the legs.

“Please,” she’d broken away to murmur against his lips and he could feel those dangerous nails of hers running up the back of his neck. “Please stop lying, Obi-Wan.”

Did he have a choice?

“No more lies, darling,” catching her bottom lip between his, he gave the tiniest suck and then leaned in to kiss her fully. He was unable to stop the growl that followed the heavy drag of her damn nails down his neck and he likely would’ve shaken his head at her if he’d been able to. Pulling back to breathe, he rested his forehead to hers and smiled at the way she nuzzled her nose over his. “No more lies.”

“You don’t have to say it,” she whispered, nestling into him until he thought he might topple backwards from the pressure. “You never have to say it. Just… _let me feel it_.”

“I can do that,” he could afford to say it, too. It would bring comfort to his own soul as well. He just hoped she wouldn’t take it and do something terrible with it. Iza hardly felt like she had any intention of harming him in such a vile way, but he’d thought the same thing of others in the past and they’d left him feeling severely burned and betrayed. He didn’t want to think about it anymore. Nosing at her cheek, he pressed more soft kisses to her lips until she braced her fingertips against his jaw to hold him in place. Unable to keep from smiling and chuckling at the frustrated sound she made when he playfully refused her longer kiss, Obi-Wan leaned back to look at her and dropped a light peck to the end of her nose. “I apologize for ruining the evening, darling,”

“Be quiet,” reaching up to brush the hair off of his forehead, Iza shook her head and squeezed the last few tears from her eyes. “It’s not over yet.”

Letting out a quiet laugh, he lifted a hand and swept the wetness from her cheeks, smiling wider as she leaned into the touch. This was much better. That horrible anger was waning and he no longer felt on edge. The soft warmth of her affections for him was pooling in along the bond and it served to soothe the sick feeling that had bubbled in his belly. For once, he was grateful for it. He didn’t feel like he needed to block it off or divert it elsewhere or pretend that he didn’t notice. It felt _nice_ to allow himself to acknowledge it.

“We should get up,” Obi-Wan murmured after a few moments of just basking in that sweet feeling. “I believe I’m starting to lose feeling in my legs.”

Carefully getting to her feet, Iza steadied herself using his shoulders before taking a step back and offering her hands to him. Pulling him up, she let out a soft sound as he hauled her against his chest, nearly giving one of those soft purrs when his fingers stroked beneath her chin. It was hard to tell whether he was about to slip into that _other_ side of himself or not, especially when he sealed his lips over hers in such a wickedly passionate kiss that she found herself having to take hold of him so her knees wouldn’t buckle. There was something so _soft_ about the way he dominated her mouth with his lips and tongue; it wasn’t anything like the kisses he’d given her before. It made her head so light and her legs so damn weak that Iza thought for a moment that she was actually floating until he anchored an arm around her waist and let a snicker gust past her lips.

“Careful,” even the little grazes of his teeth over her bottom lip were gentler than what she was used to. “You must remember to _breathe_ , darling,”

She was sure she said something in response, but whether it was in a decipherable language or not was questionable.

“Was that even Basic?” He was teasing and she knew it but it wouldn’t stop the embarrassed flush from coloring her cheeks.

“What have you done?” She managed, leaning back to look at him with one hand settled on his chest.

He simply smiled at her and stroked his fingers under her chin again.

“You said you wanted to feel it. I’ve given you what you wanted.”

Iza wanted to cry. Not only had that been the most unexpected thing to come out of his mouth, it’d also quite possibly been the sweetest he could’ve said. She’d thought that maybe it’d been his version of an apology—not that he’d needed a second one. But for him to truly let her have the confirmation that he felt the way _she_ did, _well_ , it was overwhelming to say the least. It made something in her chest feel complete. Like the whole situation they’d been striving to work out had finally been settled for real. This was no longer just an _assignment_ ; it was a real, honest to Maker partnership now.

“You’re so _deceiving_ with that look,” his quiet chuckle pulled her from her thoughts as he trailed the tip of his finger down the bridge of her nose. “Knowing the things I know—your innocent face _burns_ me, darling.”

“How do you think _I_ feel?” Iza let out a dry laugh and slid her hands beneath the panels of his jacket. “It’s going to be difficult to look at you as a Master Jedi once we get back to the Temple.”

A lot of things were going to be difficult once they got back to the Temple, she suspected. It was something she hadn’t wanted to think about. It also seemed to be something no one wanted to talk about. She and Catcher were pretty good about keeping a good façade up, but would she be able to do the same when she shared the same living quarters with Anakin and Obi-Wan? And when they were called onto the battlefield—how would she handle that? She already worried so much about her own troops. Bringing this sort of emotional attachment home with her was so _foolish_. Part of her knew that was why Obi-Wan had fought so hard against letting her in and why he hadn’t wanted to let his own feelings surface. Perhaps she’d made a mistake?

“Don’t do that,” he warned, giving her one of his stern looks. “You’re only going to hurt yourself, Iza.”

He was right. She knew he was right. But it would be inevitable that the thoughts would make their way into her head without her permission. Offering a smile, she gave him a nudge and nodded back towards the viewing platform.

“Would you like to go back?”

“I think, perhaps,” Obi-Wan hummed quietly in thought before leaning in to brush his lips across her hairline. “I would like to take you somewhere else, if I may.”

“If you plan to do what I think you plan to do,” smoothing her palms along his sides, Iza pursed her lips. “I only ask that you be gentle with me. I’m quite…” her cheeks started to turn pink. “ _Sore_.”

“I promise to only be sweet with you,” cupping the back of her head, he kissed her forehead again and snickered. “And then I believe you should take a break. You’ve been very active, darling.”

“I’ve never had such rough sex,” she admitted, turning to let him lead her up the path back into the city. “Not all at once. The two of you are _animals_.”

“And your Catcher?”

“I’m used to him.” Rolling her eyes with a snort and a light grin, she leaned up to nuzzle at his bearded chin. “But you pushed me over my limits, my dear Obi-Wan.”

“You should’ve said something,” his lips twisted in a concerned frown, the hand around her waist softly thumbing the swell of her hip. “I told you multiple times—”

“It’s not a complaint.”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you blacked out.” His accusing look was extremely pointed.

Iza laughed and turned to bury her face against his side when she drew the attention of a few passersby.

“It isn’t funny,” except he appeared to be grinning when he said it. “That can be quite dangerous, Iza.”

“Yes, _well_ ,” straightening, she turned her gaze forward and bit her tongue to fight off the cheeky smirk that wanted to stretch across her lips. “Considering I can’t get the sound of you _snarling_ commands for me to _come_ out of my head— _worth it_.”

“ _Vulgar_ little girl,” he buried his face against her neck and nipped her ear, giving one of those dark laughs that sent shivers down her spine.

“You’re one to talk,”

“One cannot control their tongue in the heat of the moment. _You_ choose to speak the way you do.”

“I mind my tongue when it matters,” shrugging, she looked around for a moment and then glanced at him. “Where are you taking me?”

“Shipyard,” he looked a bit sheepish. “I didn’t think you’d want to do this around the others.”

That was probably a good idea. Catcher needed more time to adjust to the idea of _sharing_. Anakin too, if she were to be honest. She’d noticed how damn tense the two of them got when she was in the room with them. Maker help her if she added Obi-Wan into the mix.

“We’ll need to be careful,” Obi-Wan said quietly, steering her towards where they’d left their starship. “Do not let me mark you.”

 _Right_. They were supposed to be doing this in threes now, weren’t they? Well, maybe she could sneak off with Anakin at some point to even things out. She didn’t think the elder Jedi would mind. In fact, knowing him, he’d likely encourage it to keep things balanced. Smirking as she was nudged up the loading ramp, the brunette glanced at him over her shoulder and tutted softly.

“In a hurry?”

“I apologize darling, but you and that foul mouth of yours have stirred the beast a bit.” He didn’t sound the least bit sorry at all.

“Maybe I’ll show you just how _foul_ my mouth can be— _Master Obi-Wan_.”

“Oh, _you little_ ,” the hand on her back gave her a good push and Iza giggled as she ran onto the starship, dashing down the hall to the sleeping quarters. She could hear the heavy thud of his boots against the floor behind her and let out a squeal when his fingers brushed against her back as she dodged him. “ _Darling_ ,”

There really wasn’t anywhere for her to go but Iza ducked into the little room anyway, pressing her back up against the closet and squirming in her spot as he advanced on her. There was a wild look in his eye that suggested she needed to mind herself before he completely threw the idea of being _gentle_ out the window, and part of her was okay with that. The strong _thump_ of his hands coming down on the door on either side of her head had her whining and she let out a soft whimper when he covered her with his chest.

“What did I tell you?” His lips hovered temptingly over hers, the neatly groomed hairs of his beard tickling her chin.

“I can’t remember,” she bit down on the tip of her tongue to try and steady her breathing. “Didn’t you _like_ it when I called you Master?”

The sound he made was a cross between a groan and a growl, deep and tortured. Leaning in further, he nipped at her chin and tutted quietly.

“ _Don’t_ do it, darling,”

“Don’t do what?”

“You’re going to wake up that animal you’re trying to avoid.” One of his hands had fallen from the door to trace the top of her thigh, dragging up along the edge of the slit in her dress.

Taking a deep breath, Iza waited for him to lift his head so she could level her gaze with his, smiling slowly.

“What the fuck are you gonna do about it— _Master?_ ” Leaning forward, she bumped her chest with his in a challenging manner and watched a fire ignite in his blue eyes. “Take me over your knee and fucking _spank_ me again? I **dare** you.”

“ _Iza_ ,” he wagged his finger at her in warning. “Darling— _I mean it_ ,”

Bumping into him again, Iza pushed up onto her toes to make herself taller, lifting her chin in defiance. That look in Obi-Wan’s eyes became vicious and she knew if she stepped another fraction over the line, she was going to pay for it.

**_Good._ **

“You wanted vulgar,” sliding her arms around his shoulders, she slipped one of his thighs between her legs and nestled up nice and close. “Not my fault if you can’t fucking handle it, _darling_ ,”

The hand that wrapped around her throat was firm and absolutely demanded her compliance when the fingers squeezed against the sides of her neck. Unable to help herself, Iza let out a delighted little squeal and gasped sharply when his teeth found the skin of her shoulder. She felt him nudge his thigh tighter against her before he growled against her skin and bit harder until she thought she felt the flesh split. The sensation was so sharp, so _vicious_ that it jarred her a little and had her grabbing for the front of his jacket.

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” she probably sounded more frightened than she felt. It was no surprise when he pulled back and loosened his hold in favor of cupping her chin instead.

“Color,” his voice was rough and that fire still blazed in his pretty eyes, but the concern was definitely there. It looked so _strange_ with the smear of blood on his lip, but at least he cared.

“ _Ci—Genet_ ,” yeah, he needed to just give her a second. “ _Force_ , Obi-Wan,”

“I’m sorry,”

“Shut up,” she shook her head and shut her eyes. “Don’t apologize to me. It startled me. That’s all.”

“Perhaps I—”

“I said _shut up_ ,” giving his jacket a hard jerk, Iza huffed. “I want it. I _want_ it.”

He looked skeptical. The hand on her chin smoothed back to her neck and down to the bite marks he’d left on her skin, a regretful look crossing his features. He jerked when she shook him again, turning his attention back to her face.

“Obi-Wan,” pouting at him, the brunette stood on her toes and dragged her tongue over the red smudge on his bottom lip. “ _It’s okay_ ,”

“Not to me,” all right; that was fair. “I must ask you not to push that hard again, my dear.”

“Only if you promise not to suddenly go easy on me.”

He sighed heavily and turned his hand up.

“Deal.”

~*~*~*~

“You smell like bacta,” Catcher mumbled when Iza crawled into bed later that night.

“It lingers, love,” she wished that was the case. Obi-Wan had insisted that she use the salve on the marks he’d left behind—especially the bite on her shoulder. He hadn’t wanted it to scar, lest the possessive ones in the group see it and flip their lids. “Miss me?”

“A bit,” smiling at her in the dark, he looped his arms around her and pulled her close. He would pretend he didn’t notice that she smelled of fresh soap _and_ sweat. He wasn’t a fucking idiot; both he and Anakin had discussed at length what might happen between the elder Jedi and the brunette. They’d already had their individual tantrums over it and as far as he was concerned, he was mostly over it. _Mostly_.

“Just a bit?” Nestling up against his chest, Iza pouted and brushed her fingers over the scar on his chin. “I haven’t slept next to you in weeks.”

“I thought you’d want a break from me being an asshole,” snickering, he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I missed you a lot, Little Bit. It’s no fun being ordered around by someone who isn’t you.”

“How are my boys?”

“Fine,” he shrugged. “They’ll be glad when you return to the field.”

Iza wanted to say she returned the sentiment but she honestly wasn’t sure. Going back to Coruscant meant having to face Master Windu. It also meant having to return to the life of being a mellow Jedi, something she’d been struggling to maintain lately. It wasn’t easy when Anakin and Obi-Wan kept her on her toes the way they did. Adding Catcher into the mix was only going to throw a hydrospanner into the works and flip her completely upside down. The brush of calloused fingers against her cheek startled her back into focus and the brunette blinked at him curiously, getting a light frown in return.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m just thinking about something. I’m all right.”

“You know you don’t have to do this, right?” Catcher said quietly, twisting a piece of her long hair around one of his fingers. “I understand how you feel, Little Bit. I get it. But this is going to overwhelm you.”

“Catcher—”

“Nobody knows you better than I do,” he wouldn’t let her look away from him. Those warm eyes of his stayed locked to hers and refused to let her stray for even a second. “Nobody knows the things I do, Iza. You’ve opened yourself to them in a way that could hurt you so terribly… I don’t know if I could bring you back again.”

“They wouldn’t,” shaking her head, she pressed her lips together tightly and swallowed hard. “Catcher, they’re not the same kind of monsters.”

“That’s what you said before, sweetheart,” the curve of his knuckle brushed along the scar on her cheek and he felt her shiver. “It took so long to get you back here. I don’t want to lose you again.”

“You won’t,” shifting to get closer, Iza curled up against his chest and tucked her head under his chin. “I wish you could feel what I do in the Force. Maybe it’d be easier for you to believe me.”

“Little Bit,” he gathered her to him and rolled onto his back, draping her across his chest so he could wrap his arms around her and hold her tighter. “I believe you. I _do_.”

“But you don’t trust them.”

“I don’t trust anyone with you. I don’t trust your own Master with you.”

Iza laughed and buried her face in his shoulder, the sound turning into a soft sob within seconds. It only got worse once he started running his hands along her back and squeezed her to him, trying his best to soothe her. It didn’t work. She’d been trying so hard not to let her own thoughts of how Master Windu had completely betrayed her by taking him from her make their way into her head, but she couldn’t stop them anymore. How was she supposed to return to the Temple and pretend that everything was all right? He would know immediately that there’d been some sort of emotional shift within her. He’d known it before—and he’d blamed Catcher then, too. If only he knew. If only he had let her _explain_. He’d just been so adamant about not letting her get put in front of the Council for questioning that he hadn’t listened to anything she said. He’d almost taken the Trooper then, too. If she hadn’t begged and pleaded the way she did, Iza was pretty sure she would have never seen Catcher again.

“Sweetheart,” his lips were warm against her ear, voice a soft whisper as he continued to run soothing hands along her back. “What do you need?”

“Just you,” it felt horrible to say it knowing that the other two Jedi were still awake in the other room. She could feel how alert they were; Anakin was stressed out and Obi-Wan was concerned. He kept sending soothing energy along their bond, but she couldn’t allow herself to take it. What she needed wasn’t something they could give her right now. They didn’t understand. Maybe one day she could tell them—but not now. Burying her face against the side of Catcher’s neck, she shut her eyes. “Just you, Catch,”

~*~*~*~

It went unspoken for the next few days that Iza was to be left alone. While Anakin was still quick to plant little kisses to her cheeks and offer soft touches whenever he passed her, he mostly stuck to the rule. Obi-Wan was a bit more reserved in his affections, though he made sure to occasionally nudge at her and silently ask if she was all right. Catcher was the only one allowed to have any real physical contact and while it did seem to cause some tension in the tiny residence, the trio of men managed to handle it without fuss. It was the morning of the fourth day that Obi-Wan finally broke the silence between all of them and reminded the group that they had a job to do.

“Darling, we really must stop stalling.”

“Stalling?” Looking up at him from her place on the couch where she lay with a datapad in her hands and Catcher’s head in her lap, she frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You know the only reason we agreed to bring Catcher here was for the job.” He reminded her, watching the Clone pick his head up. “You _have_ told him about it, right?”

“ _Yes_.” Making a face, the brunette looked elsewhere and sighed. “All right. I suppose you want to do this tonight?”

“If possible.”

“And Anakin still refuses to participate?”

“Unless you’ve tried to convince him, I believe that’s the case.”

“Fine,” waving a hand, Iza gave Catcher a nudge to get him to sit up. “I’ll find something to wear.”

“Actually…” Obi-Wan watched the younger Jedi give him a look and had to force back a smile. “Do not look at me that way, darling. I promise this is nowhere near as revealing as the last outfit.”

“Last outfit?” Catcher looked between the two and raised an eyebrow at the way Iza’s face turned pink.

“Think of it as a version of the blacks if they were made of _mesh_ , love.” Huffing quietly, Iza shook her head at Obi-Wan and caught sight of Catcher frowning like he was actually trying to picture this. When he rubbed at his scarred chin and tilted his head at her while a slow grin spread across his lips, she reached over and swatted his shoulder. “ _Don’t_ encourage the bastard.”

“I’m sorry sweetheart,” the grin widened and he shrugged. “I’m a simple man. I know what I like.”

“Perverts. All of you.”

“What have I done?” Anakin strolled into the room fresh from a shower, looking confused.

“Nothing as of yet.” Did he have to walk around without a fucking shirt on? She was supposed to be taking a _break_ and here he was, flaunting himself and taunting her. It was difficult enough sleeping beside Catcher and not letting him touch the way he wanted to. _Sheesh_. Perhaps **she** was the real pervert. “Are you still sitting out?”

“Yep.” Dropping onto an unoccupied bit of the sofa, Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“You will at least need to do security,” the older man said, getting a sour look in return. “Do not argue, Anakin. I believe Iza can handle herself for the most part, but the more of us there are, the better.”

“They’ll be unarmed, Ani,” gesturing to Catcher and Obi-Wan, she smiled tightly. “And so will I. You know I don’t want to force you into anything you’re uncomfortable with and that’s _why_ I’ve brought Catcher in to take your place. But I would feel much better if one of us had a weapon available.”

“He has vibroblades,” Anakin waved a hand at Catcher. “Can’t you—”

“ _Please?_ ” Of course she was going to do that stupid, pitiful thing where she bit down on her lip and pouted at him. Only because she’d learned that it _worked_. “I’ll make it up to you.”

Blue eyes stared at her hard for a good thirty seconds before he ground his teeth and shook his head and ran his fingers through his wet hair.

“ _Fine_. But I’m only going to act as a bodyguard. No orders, no treating me like—”

Iza cut him off as she crawled across Catcher’s lap to lean over and pull the younger man in for a soft kiss. She could feel the Clone start to tense for a half second, only to heave a sigh and relax. He was learning. He was getting used to it. It would still take a little time just because he was having a hard time trusting the other two men—but at least he was coming around.

“I promise, you only have to stand around and look mean.” Resting her forehead to his, Iza gave Anakin another tiny kiss and smiled. “You’ll have to give me a little leeway with the orders though, Ani. If you’re my bodyguard, you need to be able to take commands.”

“I can follow those sorts of commands, Iza,” rolling his eyes, he made a face and pinched her chin affectionately. “Just leave the other shit to those two.”

“I _will_.”

“Good.” Reaching back to give her ass a quick pat, he caught Catcher’s eye and paused, clearing his throat. After a minute, the Clone picked his hand up, swung back and gave her a proper swat that made Iza shout and roll right off of him.

“ _Hey!_ ”

“He didn’t do it right!” Turning his hands up, Catcher grinned. “I was just showing him how.”

Giving him an incredulous look, Iza turned to look up at Obi-Wan and threw a hand up at him.

“You wanna show ‘em both how it’s done, or are you just gonna fucking stand there and smile like an asshole?”

“Oh darling,” he was coming around the couch now and Iza scrambled to get the hell away from him while he laughed. “You do not want to tempt me.”

“ _Bastards, all of you!_ ” Pointing, the brunette dodged him and made a dash for the bedroom. “Nobody comes in here until it’s time to get ready, understood!”

“As you wish, darling.”

“Good. _Stay out!_ ”


	11. Are You Death or Paradise?

These shoes were a fucking _nightmare_.

Iza could handle the almost unbearably hot leather dress that Obi-Wan had given her to wear beneath the heavy cloak, and she could _tolerate_ the stupidly tight way he’d made her bind her hair back in a long braid. But these shoes were so high and set at such a painful angle that walking was difficult as hell. Never mind that they’d added a good four or five inches to her height and looked beyond deadly. They’d had to _walk_ from their hostel all the way to this damn club and she wanted to cut her fucking feet off after about a block. _Thankfully_ , Catcher had been a good sport and offered to carry her—which made things look a little more authentic in the long run.

The club was a lot like the one Obi-Wan had taken her to in the other city, though it catered very much to the female Dominants of the scene. Walking in leading Catcher and Obi-Wan in by strips of leather and chain tethered to near-identical collars strapped around their throats had been a fucking _thrill_ and a half. Anakin brought up the rear, dressed in a dark coat with his face shrouded by a mask he’d _insisted_ on wearing. Nobody had protested; it would be better for the rest of the party if he looked like he wasn’t part of the scene at all. The two mock Pets, however, had not been so lucky. Iza had been insistent on the leather pants—they _needed_ to match her outfit, after all—and snug-fitting tunics that bared a great portion of their respective chests.

 _Yeah_ —it’d been her own version of payback for the trashy shit she’d been made to wear during this **assignment** , but at least she’d kept it somewhat tasteful. She’d led them deep into the club where the music wasn’t terribly loud and sat them both down on a plush sofa with Anakin stood at attention behind it. The cloak had come off and was tucked off to the side before she took a deep breath and tried to decide which one of them would get the better half of her lap. Figuring that Obi-Wan had already had his fair share of her during their time together, she ended up perched on one of Catcher’s thighs with her legs stretched out across the elder Jedi’s lap. Green eyes surveyed the room slowly, leather-clad fingers twisting the chain of the leads distractedly as she hummed to herself.

“What am I looking for?” She asked after a while, looking over at Obi-Wan. “You never gave me a description.”

“Tall, pale fellow,” the elder Jedi skimmed his fingers along her thigh out of habit and leaned into the brush of her fingers when she ran them beneath his chin. “Heavy accent. I believe his eyes are a bit _odd_. Red, I think?”

The last descriptor had Iza clenching her fingers in his facial hair and tensing horribly. She might’ve ignored the way he winced and reached for her had Anakin not given her a tiny nudge from where he stood behind the couch.

“What is it?” His mechanized voice asked from behind the mask.

“That’s the man Asajj stopped from assaulting me the other night,” leaning back into Catcher’s chest, she did her best to keep her face as straight and neutral as possible and drew in a deep breath. “No wonder he backed off from her so easily.”

“Would you know him if you saw him?” The younger Jedi sounded upset and it was all Iza could do not to reach back and try to comfort him.

“Yeah,” Iza nodded and nuzzled her head against Catcher’s before tilting it back to look up at Anakin. “It won’t bode well for me if he sees me, though.”

“You’ll be fine,” Obi-Wan assured her, leaning over to rest his chin on her shoulder. “With what you were wearing, I don’t think your _face_ is what he’ll remember, darling.”

“You did that on purpose,” giving him a look, she frowned.

“I did.” Smiling, he dropped a kiss against the side of her neck and growled when she gave a tug to the lead attached to his collar. “ _Easy_ ,”

“Hush,” she kissed the side of his head and gave him a little nudge before holding the leads up to Anakin. “I’m going to get drinks and take a look around.”

“I should go with you,” even with the mask on, she knew he was wearing that damn concerned expression of his. The one that came with narrowed eyes and a soft frown.

“No.” Giving the concealed holster beneath her skirt a pat, she smiled and winked. “I’ve got the vibroblade you insisted on. I’ll be all right.”

“Sweetheart,” Catcher didn’t dare lay a hand on her, but he’d fix her with a look regardless. “You should still take one of us with you.”

“You just want me to make good use of the collar,” pursing her lips at him, Iza snorted. “I can handle myself.”

There was a thick sort of tension that brewed between all three of the men and it made her uneasy.

“You remember I’m a _Jedi_ , right?” She hissed, shifting her gaze from one to the other. Letting her eyes land on Catcher, she folded her arms over her chest. “If I can handle _you_ , I can handle his skinny ass.”

“Okay, _okay_ ,” he put his hands up.

“Watch them,” Iza muttered to Anakin, turning to leave. “Nobody moves unless _I_ say so.”

“Yes ma’am.”

She almost looked back at him over her shoulder; the response hadn’t been expected. Then again, he was _supposed_ to be playing along as her bodyguard and that was exactly the sort of thing he should say. Shaking it off, the brunette straightened her back and made her way across the club towards the bar, noting the way the small crowd seemed to part to let her through. _Interesting._ She wasn’t even projecting an air of importance but she’d seen the way Obi-Wan commanded the room with the way he stood and walked and she figured that mimicking it would likely be a good idea. Clearly—it worked. By the time she’d even reached the counter, the woman behind it was already waiting for her with a soft smile on her face.

“What can I get for you?”

“Three of your strongest cocktails,” taking her chip card from where she’d stashed it, she held it out and got a shake of the head in return.

“It’s taken care of,”

“Taken care of?” Confused, Iza straightened and eyed the other woman, who nodded in the direction of a table in the corner. Turning on her heel, the brunette felt a strange shock of surprise when she spotted Asajj perched on a velvet upholstered chair with her chin in her hand and a sultry smile on her face. The pale woman gave a tiny wave of her fingers and Iza ducked her head to try and hide the smile that followed. _Fuck_. She hadn’t even felt her presence. She was so distracted by keeping her eye out for the other bastard that she’d let her senses get clouded. Not good. Gasping quietly when she felt a tiny tug behind her navel, she looked up to see the other woman curling a crooked finger at her and pressed her lips together tightly before holding a hand up and turning back to the bartender. “Would you mind sending these drinks to my men? They’re over on the sofa with my bodyguard. You can’t miss them.”

“Of course, madam,” The bartender gave a tiny nod of her head, setting the glasses on a tray.

“Thank you,” dropping a few loose credits onto the counter for her, she moved to head over to where Asajj sat and stood in front of her expectantly. “What are you—”

“Leather is a good look for you, little one,” smiling at her over the top of her glass, Asajj looked her over and reached out to run a finger along the short hem of the dress. “Who’s the Clone?”

“He’s mine,” doing her best to keep her game face on, Iza rolled her shoulder in a light shrug. “Thank you for the drinks.”

“Thank _you_ for the lovely view,”

“I can’t stay long,” glancing in the direction of where she’d left the others, the brunette stood on her toes as much as she could and jerked when soft fingers brushed the inside of her thigh. “ _Asajj,_ ”

“What are you looking for?” Her fingers swept higher, nudging the hem of the other woman’s skirt up.

“I don’t want them to see,” swallowing hard, Iza tried not to squirm, feeling her knees shake when Asajj’s fingers found their target and slowly rubbed along the crotch of the delicate lace panties she wore. “You really _shouldn’t_ …”

“Which one of them will jump first?” It was a game, wasn’t it? She knew that all three of the men Iza was with would likely try to tear her limb from limb if they caught her touching the Jedi like this. “Will it be Skywalker? Or the Clone, perhaps? Kenobi wouldn’t let his rage show. Not in here…”

“Asajj— _fuck_ ,” those deft fingers had slipped beneath the lace and Iza’s thighs trembled hard at the skin on skin contact. “Don’t cause problems. Please don’t.”

“You said you wanted to play,” silver-blue eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of the club as the other woman casually sipped her drink and rubbed a single fingertip around Iza’s clit, a smirk curling her lush lips. “I’m getting impatient.”

“I’m on the job,” wobbling in the ridiculous boots, the brunette wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to stay standing if Asajj kept this up. It felt so sinful to just _let_ her touch her like this knowing that the others were nearby. Obi-Wan could likely feel the fluctuations along their link; that thought nearly had her batting the other woman’s hand away. “Can you help me?”

“What do I get?” Her fingers slid deeper, forcing Iza’s thighs further apart.

“Me,” the offer fell from her tongue mindlessly. She’d already had the discussion with the boys; they’d agreed to let her have her night with Ventress as long as she agreed to make it a one-time thing. If she had to use it as a bargaining chip for assistance— _so be it._

“Who are you looking for, little one?” she didn’t miss a single stroke as she continued to sip her drink and tease the young Jedi in front of the entire room. There were eyes on them—Iza could feel it—and soft murmuring that could be heard over the music.

“That man from the other night,” Iza couldn’t control the way she was shaking anymore. Her knees were going to give out and she desperately needed something to hold onto. A particularly deep press of the other woman’s long fingers had her biting back a soft cry and she felt the warm wetness of her arousal trickling down her thigh. “Do you know him?”

“He’s a common face around here,”

“There’s— _oh Force_ —rumors he’s tied… tied to your…”

“Dooku wouldn’t associate with a bottom-feeder like that.” Her touch became firmer, fingers curling to find that wicked spot inside of Iza that would send her skyrocketing into orgasm within seconds if she allowed it. “Would you like me to find him?”

“Would you?” Iza was going to lose her damn mind. She couldn’t figure out how she was doing it, but Asajj was somehow staving off her orgasm with the Force. She could feel the heavy pressure she’d grown used to thanks to Obi-Wan, though Asajj’s carried a very specific darkness that stung when she tried to touch it. She kept pushing the older woman closer and closer to the edge, then shoved her back without mercy all while continuing to touch and tease her.

“How do I know you’ll honor your end of the bargain?” Raising a hairless brow, the Sith pursed her lips and press rubbed her thumb against the hard nub of Iza’s clit, making her drop her head back and clamp her hands over her mouth to muffle the loud cry that followed. Annoyed, she reached up with her free hand and yanked her hands away before grasping her by the throat to pull her down. “ _Answer me_ ,”

“Why would I lie?” Resting her forehead to Asajj’s, the Jedi leaned in further and whined, shamelessly rocking her hips into her touch. “I told you before—I _want_ to.”

The tattooed woman still looked skeptical for a moment or two before she released Iza’s throat and let her straighten.

“Very well,” she relaxed her hold on the girl’s climax as well, watching with a faint smirk as the brunette’s legs nearly gave out from under her and she had to grasp the table to keep from crumpling in a heap at her feet. Continuing to work her fingers in and out even as Iza hollered into the arms she’d thrown over her face, Asajj leaned over and bit the shell of her ear. “I shall deliver him to you and your _pets_. Don’t go anywhere.” Untucking her hand from between the other woman’s thighs, she stood and popped her fingers into her mouth as casually as possible before disappearing somewhere into the crowd.

It took Iza a good few minutes before she was able to stand again and walking was a damn chore with the way her legs continued to shake. When she finally returned to where she’d left the others, they all looked damn concerned.

“What happened?” Anakin was the first to say anything and nearly came over the couch when she practically collapsed on top of Catcher and Obi-Wan.

“I’m fine,” tugging at her skirt to hide the mess Asajj had made of her, she reached for the one untouched drink sitting on the tray and started to suck it down until Obi-Wan laid a restraining hand on her arm.

“ _Darling_ ,”

“I made a deal,” she was going to have to tell them at some point, wasn’t she? “She’s going to help. Just… just fucking…”

“ _She?_ ” Anakin sounded upset. “You don’t mean...?”

“She knows how to find him,” leaning back on Catcher’s shoulder, she nestled her head against his and let out the tiniest whine when he brushed his finger down the side of her neck. “Don’t fight me. I’m in charge tonight. I did what I needed to—”

“This _wasn’t_ the plan!” Leaning over the back of the couch, Anakin’s booming voice was somehow even more menacing through the vocal scrambler.

Staring up at him, Iza drew in a deep breath and reached up to take hold of the front of his jacket, yanking him down until her nose almost brushed the front of the mask.

“At least I did _something_.” She snapped, baring her teeth lightly. “You were going to sit at home with your fucking tail between your legs because you didn’t want to play the part. I _get it_ , Skywalker. I fucking _get it_. But you don’t get to make the rules tonight— _I do._ ”

“Let go of me,” he warned. She could practically feel his glare from behind the mask. “ _Now_ ,”

Releasing him, she wasn’t surprised when he jerked back and took a few steps away from the couch like he was worried she might try to snag him again. Watching him straighten himself while he continued to stare down at her from behind the mask, Iza waited for him to say something and was only a _little_ shocked when he turned his attention forward and folded his hands in front of him. The soft pass of a hand against her leg startled the hell of her and she looked over to see Obi-Wan frowning at her in concern.

“Darling,” blue eyes searched hers as he reached along their bond curiously. “What have you promised?”

“Nothing we haven’t already discussed.”

“Tonight?”

“I don’t know yet.”

He hesitated.

“You understand that you will have to—”

“I understand my duties as a Jedi come first, _Ben_.” Looking away from him, she sipped at her drink and shut her eyes when Catcher kissed the side of her head. Out of the entire group, she’d expected _him_ to be the furious one. How was it that he was keeping his head better than the other two? “But the fact of the matter is that I made a deal with Asajj and I’m going to uphold my end of it whether you like it or not. We’ve discussed it. All parties have agreed to it. I would not have offered it as a bargain if I didn’t know I could commit.”

“All right,” he would have to let it go. This wasn’t how he wanted her to have her first experience with that woman, but if it brought in the elusive bastard they’d been looking for—so be it.

Iza still didn’t like the tension that had settled over their little group again. Only Catcher seemed relaxed enough to continue giving gentle caresses and the occasional kiss to her cheek. Thank goodness for him, really. Vicious as he could be, he was so good at keeping her grounded that it was ridiculous. It wasn’t very long until he was pressing his face to her neck, grumbling under his breath and lightly pawing at her waist.

“I can smell you,” he muttered, inadvertently catching Obi-Wan’s attention. “What did she _do_ to you, Little Bit?”

“Quiet, Catcher,” she didn’t need to be thrown back into arousal so soon. Not when she knew that it was only a matter of time that Ventress would return. “Don’t be so obscene,”

“Oh darling,” stretching out a bit, Obi-Wan settled his head on her hip and hummed in amusement. “That’s _rich_ coming from you.”

Looking between the two of them, she shook her head and wagged a finger.

“You better stop. Both of you.”

A sharp tug to her braid had Iza tilting her head back to look up at Anakin, but the younger Jedi appeared to still be staring straight ahead and surveying the room. She was willing to bet that under that damned mask, he was smirking. _Oh, stars._ If he decided to add himself into the mix, she’d be a goner for sure. She could fight off two of them— _probably_ —but all three? Not likely.

“Don’t you bully me,” she muttered, moving to curl her legs beneath her. She stopped when Obi-Wan slipped his arm around one of them and smiled up at her. “ _You_ especially,”

“Who’s bullying?” If he moved those fingers any higher he’d find the evidence of what Asajj had done to her and she didn’t know how he’d react.

“ _Honestly_ , sweetheart,” Catcher’s teeth grazed that soft spot on her neck they all seemed to love and she almost smacked his leg. “Isn’t this how we’re supposed to behave in here?”

 _Shit_ , he had a point. The rest of the room’s occupants were behaving almost as filthily as the heathens at the other club. She should’ve expected this.

“My _goodness_ , darling,” Yep. The bastard had gone and slipped his hand under the hem of her skirt. “Perhaps we should’ve let you do this sooner,”

“ _Silence_ ,” blindly reaching for the lead hooked to the elder Jedi’s collar, Iza gave it a tiny tug and turned her gaze forward. “It’s no different than when one of you—”

The second harsh tug to her braid cut her off and had her tensing on Catcher’s lap, clamping her mouth shut to stifle the whimper that got caught in her throat. Exhaling through her nose, she tilted her head to look at Anakin again and finally reached up to thwap him on the arm.

“ _Stop._ ”

“Don’t pull on them like that.” What little she could see of his eyes through the mask challenged her to go against the demand.

“Anakin, it’s part—” Obi-Wan shut his mouth when the younger man put a hand up.

“I’m getting another fucking drink,” brushing the other two off, Iza started to get up when Catcher took hold of her arm to stop her. “Not now, Catch.”

“Sweetheart,” he was giving her that look; that worried look he always got when he wasn’t sure how to read her. She _hated_ that he wasn’t Force sensitive sometimes. It made things so damn complicated. Sighing heavily, she reached down and ran her fingers through his hair before batting his hand off and tapping the end of his nose.

“Don’t do that in here,” jerking her head towards Obi-Wan, she smirked. “Did he not tell you the rules?”

“I don’t care about rules right now,” of course he didn’t. “I want to know if you’re all right.”

Stroking her fingers under his chin, she leaned down and gently nudged her forehead against his with a tiny smile, getting a hesitant one in return.

“Who am I, Catcher?”

His eyes lit up suddenly and he let out a soft laugh, looking very much like he wanted to reach up and settle his hands on any part of her he was allowed to.

“General Jedi Tacor,” he said quietly enough for just their tiny group to hear.

“Mhm,” her gaze never left his as she straightened. “And _what_ am I?”

“You’re a fucking soldier.” He’d allow himself to run his hands along the sides of her legs just to stem the urge he had to touch her. “You can handle anything and you don’t take shit from anyone. You can tear a commando droid apart with your bare fucking hands and you’re not afraid to do the same to a grown man.”

Waving her fingers at him, she nodded and grinned, signaling for him to continue.

“You’re a _beast_ , sweetheart.”

“Don’t fucking forget it.” The words were directed more towards the other two than at him, which earned her a raised brow from Obi-Wan. Giving light taps to Catcher’s hands, she turned to go once more and heard someone let out a heavy breath. The mechanical crackle gave Anakin away immediately and she had to grin to herself. _Yeah_ —she thought so. He could fuss at her all he wanted about how she was behaving with the other two, but she could tell that he enjoyed watching it.

“What… was that?” Obi-Wan asked when she’d disappeared into the crowd.

Looking over, Catcher blinked and then grinned wide.

“You think this is the first time we’ve played this game?”

“I’m… aware that it isn’t.” Gesturing to where Iza had gone, he frowned lightly. “I meant _that_. The complete tonal shift. What just happened to her?”

“He’s pissing her off,” pointing a thumb over his shoulder at Anakin, Catcher shrugged and made a face. “You couldn’t tell?”

“I could feel her becoming agitated, yes.”

“Look,” turning to face the other man, Catcher draped his arm over the back of the sofa. “Once you tell her she’s in charge, you can’t take that from her. It doesn’t matter what the hell it is she’s doing—don’t stop her from doing it. If she isn’t blatantly hurting anyone, just _let her do it_. You don’t want to see what kind of bitch she can become if you don’t. Especially not when you’ve given her _this_ kind of power.” Letting out a laugh, he ran his fingers through his hair and let out a low whistle before glancing up at Anakin. “I mean no disrespect. I get that this situation is making you uncomfortable. But she’s brought out her _General_ boots, so to speak. And I have a feeling neither of you have ever seen her in that headspace before.”

“No,” Anakin shook his head.

“You’re in for a real treat.” If the Clone could grin any harder, his face might split in two. “I’ve got the feeling she’s been subject to being the submissive party since she took the job. She’s probably real nice and pent up. This is gonna be a rough one.”

“You sound excited,” Obi-Wan wasn’t sure how he felt about the situation. On the one hand, he did enjoy the idea of Iza taking her role to the same lengths he did. On the other, Catcher’s words felt like a _warning_.

“You haven’t lived until you’ve seen her in action. Trust me.”

“I’ll take your word for it. Anakin—” Pausing when he realized that the younger Jedi had disappeared, Obi-Wan sat up straighter on the couch, looking around with a hard frown. “Where the hell…”

“He’ll be all right,” Catcher sank back in his seat and took a sip from the glass he’d long since abandoned. “She won’t hurt him.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I thought you Jedi were supposed to be intuitive?” Giving the older man a look, Catcher snorted and waved a hand. “He wants to see what will happen if he pokes her. She does it to me all the time.”

“That’s comforting.” Obi-Wan was almost content to relax in his seat when he felt a sudden jolt along one of his bonds. He couldn’t make out which at first, but it had him sitting up higher on the sofa and straining for any sign of either Jedi. Somewhere in the crowd, he heard shouting. Men shouting. And then Anakin was tearing through the gathered patrons and ripping the mask from his face, blue eyes wild and furious.

“She’s gone,” his chest heaved as he reached to unclip the leads from around Obi-Wan and Catcher’s throats. “We need to go. _Now_.”

“What do you mean _gone?_ ” Catcher was on his feet in an instant. “She was just—”

“Do you know how _easy_ it is for someone to snatch a woman out of one of these places?” Whirling on his heel, the taller man clenched his teeth and breathed harshly through his nose. “This fucking place is _full_ of slavers. _Look around_.”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan knew better than to touch the younger man right now, but he needed to get him to calm down. “We will find her. Iza would not allow herself to be taken easily. We both know that.”

“What if—”

“Please,” if he got punched in the face for taking hold of the other Jedi then so be it, but Obi-Wan couldn’t stand seeing him worked up like this. “Anakin, you _must_ keep your head on straight. We will find her. She can’t have gone far.”

Anakin looked like he wanted to argue. He knew his Master was right; deep down, he knew. But he’d been so panicked when he’d gone to playfully bother her only to find that she was nowhere to be seen that he could only think the worst of things. He didn’t understand how the other two men could be so damn calm about this. Catcher especially. He knew the Clone had spent the most amount of time with Iza and probably knew better than most whether or not she could handle whatever situation she’d just been put in, but it made him sick to think that someone had managed to get the drop on her after that little show of hers.

Shutting his eyes against that concerned look Obi-Wan was giving him, Anakin straightened and slipped the mask back into place. He didn’t feel like letting the other two see his worry come to the surface again while they searched for the other Jedi.

“Let’s go.”

~*~*~*~

The last thing Iza could remember was waiting for the bartender to finish mixing her drink before something sharp jammed into her lower back. The kind of darkness that had taken her over was so sudden and blinding that it’d taken all of her senses with it and when she’d come back to consciousness, she found herself in a heap on a cold metal floor. Her hands were bound in tight metal cuffs— _Force cuffs_ , she realized—and her vibroblade was gone. They’d even taken the hideous boots off of her as if they were worried she might use them as a weapon. _She would_ —but they shouldn’t have known that. They shouldn’t have known she was a damn Jedi, either. The question of who _they_ might be swam around in her head as she tried to figure out whether she was in the brig of a ship or some other sort of holding cell. Iza had never been captured before, but she’d pulled enough people from these sorts of places to know the difference.

“You’re awake,”

 _Oh_. She prayed to the stars that the voice echoing off the walls around her wasn’t who it sounded like. Shutting her eyes as the sound of booted feet came further into the room, Iza flinched away from the familiar brush of slender fingers against her cheek, bringing her arms up to cover her head.

“Oh, _Iza_ ,” Asajj crouched in front of her and stroked a hand over Iza’s tightly bound hair. “You foolish little thing,”

“Get away from me,” jerking away from the other woman, Iza crawled to a corner of the cell and avoided her gaze altogether. “Just fucking _stay away!_ ”

“Come now, little one,” the smile on Asajj’s face was almost _soft_ ; it didn’t belong there at all. “You had to know.”

“I know I should’ve fucking killed you when I had the chance.”

“You weren’t going to,” straightening to her full height, the younger woman propped a hand on her hip and rolled her eyes. “You hesitated. You let your _feelings_ get in the way.”

“Shame on _me_ , right?” She wouldn’t let herself cry. She was so fucking pissed off and _hurt_ , but she wouldn’t give the bitch the satisfaction of breaking her. “So where is he?”

“Upstairs.” Shrugging, Asajj moved to sit on a bench protruding from one of the cell walls and propped her chin in her hands. “Why? Would you like to meet him?”

“I’d rather not.” Sneering, the brunette turned the other way so she wouldn’t have to look at Ventress.

“You’re so pitiful. It’s disgusting.”

“Then _leave_.”

“Ah- _ah_ ,” Asajj sing-songed. “You owe me something, little one.”

“You get _nothing_ from me.” Looking back at her, Iza spit at her feet. “Go fuck yourself.”

She really should’ve known better. The tight sensation of invisible fingers around her throat startled the breath right out of her lungs and left her struggling to get even the tiniest bit of air back into them. She kicked her feet out and grabbed at her neck desperately as though it might help, but the cold grip only squeezed tighter until the edges of her vision began to blacken. A heavy warmth sat itself upon her chest and she struck out, yelling weakly when a sudden shock of something white-hot and fiery shot through her and caused her entire body to seize. When it drained away, Iza lay gasping on the cold metal floor, limbs twitching lightly from the shock.

“Shall we try that again?” Asajj asked from somewhere overhead.

Clenching her teeth, the brunette shook her head and readied herself for another jolt of electricity. She wouldn’t give herself to this bitch now. Not willingly. And if the woman’s words about having _some morals_ were true, she wouldn’t take what she wanted from her either. She could torture her for her consent all she wanted. She wasn’t going to fucking get it. Iza damn near bit down on her tongue when the cuffs emitted another heavy shock and caused her to arch up from the floor and scream out until her lungs and throat burned.

“You’d do well to stop resisting,” Asajj sounded _bored_ as she walked a circle around the whimpering Jedi, using the toe of her boot to nudge at her. “He’ll do far worse things to you than I, little one.”

“Let him,” Iza wheezed, turning away so she wouldn’t have to look into those damn deceptively pretty eyes. She couldn’t feel her fingers anymore and her legs wouldn’t stop twitching, but she’d had worse. She’d had much worse. “You can’t have me.”

“ _Little one,_ ” crouching, Ventress swept her fingers through sweat-damp bits of hair that had come loose from Iza’s braid.

“ _Don’t fucking_ _touch me!_ ” Swinging her arms up, Iza managed to catch the other woman off-guard and slam her fists into the side of her face. Taking advantage of Asajj’s momentary shock, she crawled to her knees and hooked her arms over her head, pressing the heavy cuffs against her throat until she gagged. The other woman’s nails dragged across her skin in an attempt to make her let go, but Iza only pressed harder and wrapped her leg around her slim waist to hold her in place. “Not hesitating now _am I? **Am I, you fucking** —_”

The hard jolt of electricity that ripped through her was much harsher than before, and it hadn’t come from the cuffs this time. She felt Asajj slipping out of her grasp and did her best to sink her nails into her so she wouldn’t lose her hold, feeling flesh tear beneath them. Then she was being lifted and launched across the space of the cell where she collided with the opposite wall and collapsed in a broken heap. Breathing hurt. The fine twitching of her muscles hurt. But she was damn determined not to just lie there and let whatever was about to happen, happen.

“Get her up,” a thickly accented voice made its way to her ears, muffled by the rushing sound her blood was making as it pounded through her veins.

“I told you,” Asajj argued back, sounding raspier than usual. “ _She’s mine_.”

“You cannot control her. She must be dealt with by a harsher hand.”

Picking her head up, Iza swallowed against the heavy wave of nausea that coursed through her when the room spun and focused her eyes on the two bickering in the center of the cell. The tall man from before—pale, sickly thin, _red eyes_ —brandished some sort of tool that sparked on one end and glared at Asajj as they argued back and forth over which one of them would have the honor of destroying— _defiling?_ —her. _Like hell_. Pushing herself up on shaky arms, the Jedi started to get to her feet when the man clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and pushed Ventress out of his way, coming over to jam the sparking tool against Iza’s shoulder and force her back down.

“You’re going to _kill_ her!” Shoving her associate off, Asajj grabbed for the baton and thinned her lips when he pulled it out of her reach.

“They’re much more compliant when they’re dead.” He smiled slow, twirling the baton between his fingers.

“She’s not _yours_ to kill, Omir.” Moving to stand in between the bastard and the Jedi panting into the floor, Asajj tilted her chin up and scowled. “Touch her again and I’ll snap you in half.”

“I found her.” Omir snarled, backing up a pace as he pointed the baton at Iza. “ _I will have a turn with her_ ,”

“We’ll see,”

A low growl rumbled in the man’s throat before he turned and stormed out of the cell, leaving the two women alone once more. When he was far enough away, Asajj huffed and turned to look the Jedi over. Iza had curled up in the corner of the cell with her face pressed into the floor. Her body twitched and trembled from the excessive electroshocks and she appeared to be fighting against the need to either scream or cry. She almost pitied her. This wasn’t even the worst of what Omir could do to her. Asajj hadn’t even wanted to use this kind of force on the other woman, but she’d been given no choice. Had she been surprised that Iza reacted the way she did? Of course not. Betrayal was never a fun thing for anyone. But there’d been such a small sliver of hope inside of her that the bit of darkness she’d felt inside of the girl would’ve reached out to her and accepted what she was offering. That feeling had gotten so much _stronger_ since they’d last met and she was damn curious to know why.

“Get out,” Iza’s voice was tiny and weak, muffled by the durasteel plating her face rested against. “Either kill me or fucking _leave_.”

She’d done enough for now. The girl’s spirit was far from broken, but she couldn’t do more without risking death. Her goal wasn’t to kill the little Jedi. No—she had _other_ plans for Miss Iza. Bigger plans. _Better_ plans. She would rip the rest of that darkness to the surface even if she had to let Omir step in. Humming quietly, Asajj slowly walked over and crouched beside the brunette, leaning over to press the gentlest of kisses to her temple. The weak push of hands against her face made her laugh and shake her head.

“I admire your spirit, little one,” her hand was slapped away when she tried to pet Iza’s hair and she straightened to her full height once more. “But I _will_ have you. One way or another, you’ll be mine.”

“ ** _LEAVE_** _!_ ”

Iza’s guttural scream echoed off the walls of the chamber long after she’d buried her face in her hands, leaving Asajj with a strange feeling in her chest. There was a hollowness surrounding the other woman that she hadn’t noticed before; cold, empty, _familiar_. As she watched the way the brunette continued to shove herself further into the tight corner of the cell, Ventress cautiously reached out into the Force to try and read the girl’s energy and immediately felt sick. She’d been here before. There were scars lining the otherwise smooth-flowing signature emanating from the Jedi. Someone had already tried to pull that darkness to the surface—and they’d nearly succeeded. No. No, they _had_ succeeded.

“ _Stop_ ,” the soft drag of nails against metal startled her out of her focus. “Please stop,”

Asajj said nothing. She only drew in a deep breath and turned to leave, shaking the sudden wave of thoughts out of her head. _No_. She couldn’t second guess this now. She had a damn job to do. Questioning what might have happened to the Jedi wasn’t part of that.

 _Still_.

That sort of hollowness didn’t develop naturally. That was the kind of thing that came from a very _specific_ kind of pain. She knew. She knew damn well what kind of pain needed to be caused to draw it out. She didn’t know how she’d missed it the first time she’d read the girl’s energy. There’d been pain and other things that _shouldn’t_ have been present in a Jedi. She’d felt so damn unstable that getting a clear read was impossible. _How_ she’d been knighted was a fucking wonder. Maybe her Master was just that stupid. That whole cult of idiots had always been oblivious to things that were right under their noses, after all. It wouldn’t surprise her at all to know that the person put in charge of her had no idea that she’d been hurt in such a way. As she locked the cell door behind her, Asajj cast one last glance through the bars and chewed her tongue.

No.

Asajj Ventress was allowed to hold onto some of her damn morals. She could break this girl so _easily_ without trying and the temptation was truly there. But would it be worth what she’d be dragging to the surface if she tried? Not likely. The darkness wouldn’t be the only thing to bubble forth and she didn’t want to see what sort of mess would be made out of that girl. She wouldn’t be held responsible for it.

She just had to make sure that Omir didn’t get his filthy fucking hands on her before she could dump the girl somewhere safe.


	12. Falling Into Love Now With Falling Apart

“ _Wake up_ ,”

Iza was freezing. Her whole body ached terribly as something hard thumped her shoulder and jarred her out of the nightmare she’d been having. The bright lights above blinded her and made it hard to see just who was standing over her, but another hard jab from the stranger in the room made her kick out in reflex. The resulting shock from the baton that followed had her gritting her teeth against a scream that tore its way up her throat where it got stuck and left her feeling weak when the weapon was pulled away.

“ _Up_.” The voice ordered again, giving her a nudge with their foot for good measure. “Now.”

“Fuck you,” flecks of spittle sprayed the air as Iza tried to pull away from Omir and his stupid shock-baton. The hard _crack_ of the blunt end striking her across the side of her face made her grunt—but she wouldn’t scream. Not for him. Not for either of them. _Not again_.

“You do not want to fight me, girl,” he pressed the end of the baton against her shoulder and put his weight down on it, sneering down at her. “You won’t win.”

 _Fucking idiot_.

Wrapping her fingers around the baton, Iza wrenched it out of his startled grasp and swept her legs out to knock him onto his back. Leaping to her feet, she clicked the button on the side to set the baton sparking and jammed it into the center of his chest with a yell that came from somewhere deep inside of her gut. Holding the baton in place until he’d stopped seizing, the brunette backed off and stared at him for a half second before she brought it up over her head. Another horrible scream rang out as she swung her arms down over and over until flecks of dark green blood spattered her skin and bits of flesh stuck to the end of the baton.

 _Dead_.

He was dead. She was sure he was dead. Dropping down onto the corpse in front of her, the Jedi began to frantically search for a key to the cuffs she wore, her hands shaking harder and harder as her search turned up empty. Maybe the door was unlocked. If she could get to a pod, she could get off this fucking ship and get somewhere—

“ _What did you **do**?!_”

Picking up the baton again, Iza backed herself into the corner and pointed it at Asajj, trying desperately to get it to click on. She must’ve damaged the spark when she’d bashed Omir’s skull in; it wasn’t lighting at all.

“ _Stay away,_ ” if she pushed herself any further into the corner, she was going to meld into the durasteel.

Asajj couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She’d come down here because Omir had disappeared from the top deck and she’d heard Iza’s wild screaming and assumed the worst. But this— _this_ had not been what she’d expected at all. Finding the frenzied girl crouched over the mangled corpse of her associate, her hands and face coated in a healthy amount of his blood; she wanted to ask what had happened, but didn’t think the girl was going to allow her a moment to even _breathe_ , let alone ask questions.

“Give me the key,” Iza hissed, still trying to get the baton working again. “ _Give me the fucking key, Asajj!_ ”

“I don’t have it,” shaking her head as she put both of her hands up, Asajj jerked her head towards the door. “He kept it upstairs.”

“Move,”

“Little one,” there was something very _wrong_ about the way that girl was looking at her.

“ _I SAID FUCKING **MOVE**!_” The baton shook almost violently as Iza brandished it in front of her, eyes never leaving the form of the other woman. Asajj hesitated a moment before she stepped to the side slowly, watching as Iza stumbled forward over Omir’s corpse, twisting to keep the broken baton pointed in her direction.

Stupid girl. Surely she must’ve seen that she had her sabers at her belt. Or perhaps she didn’t. Whatever had caused her to crack like that could’ve given Iza a dangerous sort of tunnel vision that could get the Jedi killed if she wasn’t careful. But Ventress wasn’t interested in attacking her, not while she was in this sort of state. She’d had a small taste of what Iza’s desperation felt like; the deep scratches on her face and scalp where the girl had dug her nails into her had been enough to deter her for now. Truth be told, Asajj didn’t like the feeling pulsing off of the older woman _at all_. That hollow sensation from before seemed to have swallowed her whole, replacing her entirely with something foreign and cold. And the look in her eye—that tortured, terrified look. Omir hadn’t laid a hand on her and yet he’d done _something_ to break open that floodgate she’d opted against unlocking.

Kenobi was going to be _furious_.

As soon as Iza made it out of the room, she locked the door behind her. It didn’t matter if Ventress could escape; _she_ needed to be free. The layout of the ship was so confusing. Maybe if she hadn’t been hit so hard she’d be able to see where she was going and figure out how to get up to the main deck. Who the hell needed such a big fucking ship, anyway? Finally finding her way to a set of stairs, Iza took them two at a time and ran down the hallways trying to find somewhere— _anywhere_ that looked like it might’ve housed the dead bastard downstairs. She must’ve opened the same door five times before realizing that she was running in circles, and swore at the top of her lungs before turning to head back to where she thought she’d seen a communications portal.

The heavy buzz of a lightsaber igniting made her stop dead and wave the useless baton in defense. She couldn’t even shout as the red blade arced down swiftly, cleanly slicing the baton and the link of the cuffs in half. Stumbling back onto her ass, Iza backed away from Asajj as the woman stood over her with narrowed eyes and a foul look on her face, studying her silently. Shaking the remnants of the cuffs from her wrists, she shot her hands up only for the other woman to get there first and send a pulse of hot Force energy slamming into her chest. Grunting as her back hit the wall of the ship, Iza tried again and threw her hand out in an attempt to call Ventress’ second saber into her palm. What she got was a physical hand wrapped around her throat and her head shoved back against the wall again.

“ _Enough_ ,” long fingers pressed deep into the sides of her neck without mercy, but it wasn’t going to stop her from fighting. Asajj would have to kill her if she wanted her to give up.

Pushing forward into the grip with a yell, Iza reached for the front of the taller woman’s dress, bringing a foot up with the intention of driving it deep into her belly. The blazing heat of a plasma blade stopped her when Asajj hovered the saber over her thigh, eyes boring into hers.

“I said—”

“Do it,” leaning back against the wall of the ship, Iza pulled at the front of Asajj’s dress. “You fucking bitch— _why are you hesitating!?_ ”

Her vision blurred with tears, turning the woman into nothing more than a smudge. She felt the fingers around her neck tense for a brief moment before the red blur of the lightsaber clicked off. Harsh hands grabbed her shoulders and dragged her down the hallway, snatching her by the hair when she tried to fight back. It didn’t matter how much she yelled or tried to drag her bare feet against the floor, Asajj was stronger. Iza was in no shape to fight her off anymore. She was falling into a place in her head she’d never wanted to visit again. She needed Catcher. She needed Obi-Wan and Anakin. She would rather be with Master Windu than in this hellish place. She’d give anything to be on a battlefield in that moment. The nightmares that came from rushing into a fight were so much kinder than what was happening in her head now.

She had no time to register what was happening when she was suddenly thrown into a small room. Another cell. _No_. A cell wouldn’t have a single seat and a control panel.

 _A pod_.

Before she could even turn to look back at the other woman, the door slid shut and she heard the distinct sound of the pod being disengaged from the ship. Was she being released? What was happening? Scrabbling to get to her feet, she pressed her face up against the transperisteel window to find that she was indeed slowly drifting out into space. She had no idea where she even was or how to fly the damn thing at all. Ventress had basically stranded her. Numbly, she dropped down into the chair and rubbed her hands over her face, almost gagging at the vile taste of blood that made its way onto her tongue. What had she done? To kill someone—to do it so _brutally_ ; certainly she’d crossed a line she couldn’t come back from. But she hadn’t been able to stop herself. It was like the commando droid all over again, being hit in the face like that. Except instead of tearing a bucket of bolts apart, she’d bashed in the skull of a man who’d only had the worst intentions for her.

The sudden chirp of a comm transmission startled her enough to make her nearly fall out of the seat and it took her a minute to figure out how to answer it.

“…hello?”

“ _Iza?!_ ”

“ ** _ANAKIN_** _?!_ ” Leaning over the console, she felt her hands starting to shake as new tears gathered in her eyes. “Please tell me that’s really you,”

“It’s me, sweetness,” he sounded so choked; so damn relieved, but on the verge of falling apart at the same time. “Fuck—where _are_ you?”

“I don’t know,” looking around at the console, she tried to make sense of the screens and things she was looking at and shrugged. “I can’t… I don’t know how…”

“Darling,” Obi-Wan’s soothing voice came over the speaker and Iza thought she might scream. “I need you to look for coordinates. The yellow numbers.”

“I don’t—”

“Southern screen. Below the communication panel. Press the arrow on the screen and you can send them to me.”

Nodding to the voice, Iza did as she was told and listened to the hushed murmuring on the other end. Pressing her lips together tight, she fidgeted in her seat for a moment and wrapped a loose bit of hair around a finger, tugging at it roughly.

“Catch?”

“I’m here, Little Bit,” he sounded far more professional than she would’ve liked, but she knew how he could be. He often slipped into Trooper mode without meaning to, especially when she was involved.

“Catch,” she hesitated, pulling harder at the piece of hair. “Code Black.”

There was a loud crash on the other end of the comm followed by swearing and suddenly, his voice was the loudest.

“Sweetheart,” his voice was as steady as ever, if not just a _little_ hurried. “Listen to me. I’m here. I’m right here. Remember what we talked about.”

“I killed him, Catcher,” pulling her legs up onto the chair, Iza rested her chin on her knees and stared out of the transperisteel window at the stars. “I had to.”

“ _Iza_ ,” it sounded like he was trying to usher the others away without success. “Little Bit, _hold on._ ”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“We’re coming. We’re coming to get you sweetheart, _please_.”

“It’s different this time, Catch,” rubbing the sore side of her face, Iza sank deeper into the seat and shut her eyes. “It’s so different,”

“Tell me he didn’t—”

“ _No_. I didn’t give him the chance to. Not again.”

“Can we make this go any faster?” He wasn’t talking to her anymore. She thought she heard Obi-Wan say something about not wanting to bypass the pod, and then another round of muffled cursing.

“I’m tired, Catch,”

“Sweetheart, _not yet._ ”

“Darling,” Obi-Wan cut in, jarring her from the daze she was in. “What’s going on?”

“I can’t tell you.” Letting out a soft laugh, she moved to get up from the chair. Maybe if she walked around she wouldn’t feel so tired. “I wish I could. But I _can’t_.”

He was silent and she just knew he was making that stupid face of his. That damned contemplative, concerned face. He was probably rubbing his beard, too. He and Anakin would be exchanging a look, talking in their secret silent language and making Catcher confused. It was only a matter of time before—

“Hey,” Anakin’s voice was soft as it oozed from the ship’s speakers. “Whatever it is, you know you can trust us.”

“Just get here, Ani,” No. Telling them would do no good for anyone. This wasn’t about trust; it was about not knowing what they would do about it before they could get to her. “Get here and get me home.”

A heavy sigh, and then—

“I love you. _We_ love you, sweetness. Sit tight, okay?”

“Yeah,” where the hell was she going to go? She didn’t know the first thing about making this thing _go_ anywhere. “You got it.”

~*~*~*~

“What does _Code Black_ mean?” Anakin asked as soon as they’d cut the transmission, watching Catcher pick his head up and give him a wary look. The Clone studied him for a long time before he shook his head and moved away from the console.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?” Following after him, the taller man narrowed his eyes. “If she’s in danger, we need to know,”

“Because it’s not any of your damn business, Skywalker!”

“I think it’s our business to know what we’re going to be dealing with, Commander,” Obi-Wan interjected, making Catcher shut his eyes and frown hard. “You understand we care for her too. Whatever is happening, it’s important that _we_ know how to help.”

“You won’t be able to.” Catcher snorted, folding his arms. “This isn’t something Jedi tricks can solve.”

“And you think you—”

“I’m the _only_ one she trusts enough to help. Because I can keep my damn mouth shut about _her_ business.” Looking between the two, Catcher worked his jaw and ran his fingers through his hair. “All you need to know is that as soon as we dock that ship, you need to let _me_ be the one to go into that pod. If she chooses to tell you anything after I’ve gotten her back to where she needs to be—then so be it. But until then, keep your noses out.”

“She said she _killed_ someone,” Anakin was nearly in the other man’s face now and Obi-Wan, ever the mediator, forced himself to stand between them so nobody would start throwing punches. “I don’t know what you think you know about the Jedi, but we’re _not_ supposed to do that!”

“I know _plenty_ , Skywalker,” he was getting pissed. If these two didn’t get the hell out of his face with their questions, Catcher was going to show a side of himself that he’d promised to keep locked up. “Why do you think I’m so fucking concerned?”

“I swear, I’m going to—”

“You can try,” Catcher laughed, grinning faintly. “You can go ahead and _try it_. But I think you know how damn upset she’d be with you if you laid a hand on me, Skywalker.” The grin turned into a bitter sneer. “Probably just as pissed as she’d be if I did the same to either of _you_.”

“Can you at _least_ tell us how bad this is going to be?” Obi-Wan asked, giving the other man a pleading look. “We deserve that much.”

“Bad.” Backing up, Catcher kept his gaze as level with the older man as he could, trying to convey as much seriousness about the situation as he could without telling him a damn thing. “You’re not going to know the woman who steps out of that pod. Not like I do. It’s best for the both of you that you never meet her.”

Turning to stalk off, he didn’t see the look that the two men exchanged. Each of them had their own idea of what might be happening to their lover, but neither wanted to voice it. Anakin was the first to look away, swearing under his breath before he gave the console beside him a light punch. He didn’t want to think terrible things. He’d already had his fair share of them after she’d disappeared from the club. But he couldn’t stop going over the hundreds of things that could’ve happened while she’d been gone, each one worse than the last. The gentle hand that settled on his shoulder pulled him back to reality and he looked down at Obi-Wan with tired eyes and a worried frown.

“You don’t think…?”

“I think it’s best we listen to Catcher,” the older man sounded so reluctant when he said it. “He seems to know what to expect. If it’s in Iza’s best interest for us to be in the dark, we must respect that, Anakin.”

“That’s not fair,” shaking his head, Anakin clenched his jaw against the horrible way his throat began to tighten. “You heard her. You heard how lost she sounded. How can you expect me to just ignore that, Obi-Wan?”

“I am not asking you to ignore it,” offering a small smile, Obi-Wan gave Anakin’s shoulder a squeeze. “Force knows we won’t be able to ignore whatever pain she’s bringing with her if we try. But we must give her the space she needs.”

He understood that. He really did. That didn’t mean he had to like it. Still, he nodded in agreement and got a heavy pat in return.

“Good man,” Obi-Wan’s smile became a little wider and warmer before he sighed and dropped his hand, turning his eyes towards the stars in front of them. “Now, let’s get our girl.”

~*~*~*~

Iza had no idea how long she’d been drifting out here. She’d tried passing the time by counting the buttons on the console in front of her, and then found the datapad that contained the flight manual for the pod. She’d been in the middle of blindly studying it when she felt a hard jolt that nearly toppled her out of the chair. Looking to the window, she saw that she’d been caught in the tractor of a larger ship. Could it be…?

“Iza?” The sound of Catcher’s voice on the other side of the door brought tears to her eyes and she rocketed up from her seat, rushing to get the thing open. His chest hit hers with the kind of force that should’ve popped a few ribs out of place, his hands immediately moving to cradle her head so he could get a good look at her eyes. She saw the way his face fell and knew something was wrong. “Oh sweetheart, oh _Little Bit_ ,”

She wanted to kiss him but it was unfair to make him taste the filth smeared across her skin. She saw flakes of green flutter into the air as he ran his thumb in gentle passes over the swollen side of her face and allowed him to drag her to the floor with him.

“Do you remember how we did this?” He asked, moving to carefully pull the tie from the end of her braid so he could loosen her hair and make it easier to run his fingers through it.

“Catcher,” running her filthy fingers along his jaw, the brunette pouted and rested her head against his. “I don’t want to do it.”

“You _must_. Sweetheart, it’s for your own good.”

“It almost ruined you. It isn’t fair.”

“It’s my choice,” he reminded her. “It was my choice then, and it’s my choice now.”

“You don’t need this kind of pain, Catch,” shutting her eyes against the tears, Iza let out a bitter laugh and hooked her fingers in the neck of his blacks. “ _Force_ , I’m tired.”

“ ** _No_** ,” the hand he rested under her jaw was firm enough to keep her attention but still gentle. “Little Bit, _fight it_. Talk to me and fight it, sweetheart.”

“She betrayed me, Catcher,” reaching to grasp at his wrist, the brunette screwed her face up and turned away from him. “She brought me to him. I thought… I thought…”

“Good girl,” he hated that he had to praise this. Hated that he had to draw the pain out this way. It was like luring a feral Tooka with promises of milk just so he could trap it and keep it for her. “Good girl sweetheart, keep talking.”

“It hurt so much, Catch,” shaking her head, she buried her bruised face in his shoulder. “My body… it was like…” her hands came up, fingers curling like claws as they flexed. She couldn’t find the words to describe the feeling of the electricity that had ripped through her. “I thought they were going to kill me. I wanted them to.”

Catcher had to force himself not to respond. The anger welling in his chest burned hotter with every passing second and it was hard for him to tell whether it was his own or if it was the emotion she was pouring into him. Maybe she’d been right; maybe using him as a grounding stone wasn’t a good idea.

“I bashed his fucking face in,” her tone evened out and became cold, fingers clenching into tight fists. “I took that fucking baton and I…” making a weak swinging motion, she stared blindly at the ceiling beyond Catcher’s shoulder and started to frown hard, jaw wobbling before she straightened one of her legs and thumped her heel against the floor like a child throwing a tantrum. “Catcher I _can’t!_ ”

“Hush,” pressing warm lips to her blood-speckled forehead, he shut his eyes and cuddled her closer, hating the way he could feel her starting to shake. “You’re doing so good, Little Bit. You’re doing so good.”

“It’s going to break you,”

“I can handle it.”

“ _I won’t_.”

“I can’t let you give this to anyone else, sweetheart,” settling his forehead to hers once more, the Clone nuzzled at her nose. “Let me have it. I can take it. I promise.”

“No.” Iza weakly tried to pull away and whined when he pulled her back, feeling something in her chest clench tightly at the way he stared at her with those pretty brown eyes of his.

“You can’t go home like this, sweetheart. You can’t let _them_ see you this way.” A soft smile spread across his lips and he ran a crooked finger down the side of her face. “They love you, Little Bit. It would be unfair to take yourself away from them.”

“And you?”

“Sweetheart, I have more of you than anyone else in the universe,” letting out a dry laugh, he shook his head. “You know the only reason I do this is because I love you. Not because of whatever debt you think I owe.”

“It’s too much darkness, Catcher,” smoothing her palm along his shoulder, Iza sighed heavily and couldn’t help the giggle she gave when he lightly butted his head against hers. “Don’t do that. Don’t be so cute.”

“I’ll be _fine_ , Iza. You know I’m engineered to handle worse.”

“I liked it,” she said finally, avoiding his gaze. “The feeling. It was like the droid all over again—but… _different_. I don’t even remember doing it. I just felt like I _had_ to. Like he deserved it.” Knitting her brows together, she frowned hard and picked her hand up to look at the remnants of blood beneath her nails. “My bare hands…”

Catcher closed his fingers around hers and found a spot on her knuckles to kiss, shutting his eyes against the wave of nausea that followed. Really—absorbing this cold, empty feeling from her was going to take its toll on him later but he knew that in the long run, it was the best thing for her. The best thing for them _both_.

“You did what you had to,” he whispered against her skin. “You did it in defense. You’re allowed to do that, Iza.”

“She let me go,” she sounded so confused when she said it. “She was going to… she was going to…” _no_ , some things didn’t need to be said out loud, did they? “…and she let me go. Why?”

He wished he had an answer for her. He didn’t, of course. Just like the last time, he had no idea how to explain the things that happened to her or why. There was a part of him that was relieved that she hadn’t had to go through the same trauma a second time around, though. Maybe it meant he wouldn’t have to wake up to her screaming in the middle of the night. Maybe he wouldn’t have to ask favors from Rex to let her stay in the barracks with him so she wouldn’t trouble anyone in the Temple with her instability. And maybe with a little help from the two Jedi on the other ship, he’d be able to better handle her so she wouldn’t break again. He didn’t think she’d be able to handle another incident like this without serious consequences.

“Catch?”

“What is it, Little Bit?” Brushing hair away from her face, he took note of the fact that her green eyes seemed to have come back into focus and the peridot color was far more vibrant again. No more gold; thank the Maker.

“You didn’t tell them, did you?”

“ _No_ ,” he breathed, shaking his head. “You know I’d never tell anyone, Little Bit.”

“But they asked,”

“Sweetheart,” letting out a short laugh, he gave her a look. “You shouted _Code Black_ over a very public transmission. They were going to ask.”

“I’m… surprised Obi-Wan hasn’t found it.” Nestling deeper into Catcher’s chest, the brunette sighed. “I can feel him even now on the bond. He’s not searching—just…”

“Bond?”

“Like this,” tapping his chest affectionately, she smiled. “What we have. But… a little different. You’re not Force sensitive, my love. You can’t reach for me the way I can reach for you. This is why I hate this so much. It’s not fair to make you take my pain and not take yours in return.”

“I can reach a _little_ ,” he didn’t mean to sound so offended. “I’ve told you before that I can feel it pretty plainly when something is wrong with you. When we first met—I felt something. I knew you were there. I can’t _always_ feel it like you can, but I—”

“Catcher,” Iza’s hands came up to gently cradle his face and she gave him one of the tiny headbutts just to get him to stop fussing. “Love, it’s not a competition. You are _very_ unique. You are so special to me. Please do not treat what I share with them as something greater than what _we_ share. You promised,”

“I can’t… help it.” He was really feeling the agitation now. He was going to have to isolate himself soon until the feelings passed. He always hated that part. “I’m sorry.”

“Would you like me to stay?”

“You know that’s not safe,” taking a deep breath, he shut his eyes and leaned into one of her palms. “And they’re waiting for you.”

“You need me too, you know. I’m not just going to suddenly forget you.”

“You didn’t have to be in the same room with Skywalker for the last day and a half,” laughing quietly, Catcher gazed at her and frowned some as he ran a fingertip over a bruise on her throat. _Maker_ , he didn’t want to know the things they’d done to her. She’d told him the worst of it; that was enough. “If you think _I’m_ bad—sweetheart, you should see that boy.”

“And Obi-Wan?”

“You should know,” he gave her a cheeky look and got a pinch in return. “ _Ow_. Be nice to me. I have to sit and stew with all of this for the next few hours.”

“I didn’t _want_ you to,” shooting him a pointed look, the brunette huffed and finally gave him the kiss she’d been putting off, ignoring the way they both seemed to cringe at the taste of blood on her lips. “And you say _I’m_ stubborn.”

“You _are_.”

“I want you on the ship. We can lock you in one of the bedchambers.”

“I was just going—”

“You were going to sit in this pod and stew, I know.” Giving a playful flick to the hoop dangling from his ear, she shook her head. “I said _no_ , Commander. On the ship or I stay here with you. You don’t have any other fucking choice.”

“You’re such a _bitch_ ,” laughing, he kissed the side of her head and sighed. “Fine. Get up, you stubborn thing.”

“Easier said than done,” Iza grumbled a little as she grabbed hold of his shoulders and used them to brace herself and get to her feet, thankful when he steadied her with his hands on her waist. Her head was swimming from their exchange, body still throbbing in pain from fighting so hard against Ventress. Once Catcher had risen to his feet, she let him lead her out of the pod and onto the ship, keeping her head down until they got to one of the empty bedchambers.

“This is my stop, sweetheart.” Turning, he kissed her forehead and gave her a nudge. “Let them fuss. And maybe get yourself a shower, all right?”

“Okay,” she didn’t want to let go of his hand. She was terrified of what sort of welcome she’d receive once she broke off from him.

“Little Bit,” smiling softly, Catcher lifted her chin and leveled their gazes. “ _Go_. Don’t torture that boy. Let him know you’re okay.”

Nodding, she stole another kiss and waited until he was behind the door before making her way down the hall to where she could feel Anakin and Obi-Wan’s signatures.

“ _Fuck_ ,”

The soft rush of cloth and heavy bootsteps echoing across the floor were the only warning she had before Anakin’s arms slid beneath hers and lifted her clean off her toes. Her legs went around his waist out of instinct and she buried her face against his neck with a hard sob, feeling him drop to his knees at the sound. The fingers in her hair were as gentle as they could be, but it hurt when he squeezed her. She didn’t have the heart to protest. She was just so thankful to inhale the soft, smoky smell of him and clear her nose of the wretched stench of aging blood that he could crack her bones if he wanted.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan was somewhere behind the other man and Iza instantly stretched a blind hand out to him, squeezing his fingers when he took it. “Be gentle with her,”

The younger Jedi’s grip loosened, but he refused to let go. Leaning back some, he brought his hands up to palm her face and stopped, hovering there for a long moment as another soft curse left his lips.

“I’m okay,” Iza insisted, knowing that her face must’ve looked terrible. It hurt like hell still and the bruising and swelling in combination with the blood remnants couldn’t look good at all. “I’m okay, Ani.”

“Obi-Wan,” he needed to clear his damn throat. “Med-Kit.”

“ _Anakin_ ,” she knew she needed to let him fuss. She’d told Catcher she would let them both fuss if they wanted to. But that sad, sorry look in Anakin’s eyes was killing her.

“Darling,” Obi-Wan swept his thumb across her knuckles and pulled her attention to him. “Let him have this.”

She relented, letting go of his fingers so he could leave to get the requested Med-Kit. Once he was gone, Anakin finally took hold of her face and brought her in for a kiss that tasted half of relief and half like the worst kind of despair. It burned her mouth straight down into her soul and made her whimper and pull at the front of his robes. He followed when she tried to pull back like he worried she’d suddenly vanish if he stopped and it took a hearty yank to his leather tabard before he finally backed off.

“I’m sorry,” pressing his forehead to hers he curled his fingers around the back of her neck and shut his eyes. “I’m so sorry,”

“For _what?_ ” Her hands found their way to his hair, twisting lightly in the caramel colored strands. “Anakin, this was not your fault.”

“If I’d moved a little faster,” he squeezed his eyes shut tighter, clenching his teeth. “There were just so many _people_ …”

“It’s my fault,” watching his eyes snap open, Iza tried her hardest not to let her jaw wobble. “I trusted her. I trusted her and I shouldn’t have. I should’ve listened to you, Anakin.”

Something flickered in those sweet blue eyes of his, a kind of fire that felt like she needed to smother before it became dangerous. Sliding her hands to his jaw, she began peppering kisses all over his cheeks and across his mouth in an attempt to soothe him, pressing her forehead to his until he had to shut his eyes.

“Don’t,” she pleaded, “It isn’t worth it. She’s not worth it, Anakin.”

“Did she do this?” The tip of a finger brushed the angry bruise on the side of her face and Iza shook her head.

“No. He did.”

“And this?” He touched her throat next and watched the way her lips thinned, a scowl twisting his handsome features.

“ _Ani_.”

“The burns,” _shit_ ; she’d hoped he hadn’t seen them. “What are those from?”

“Please stop,” shutting her eyes against the burn of tears that had started to bubble forth, Iza dropped her hands to his chest and gave a weak push. “Anakin, don’t make me…”

“ _Anakin,_ ” Obi-Wan’s stern tone startled both of them and Iza half expected to be ripped from the younger Jedi’s lap with the way he stormed into the room. The Med-Kit was dropped noisily beside them and Iza felt the soft warmth of Obi-Wan’s protective energy flowing along the bond, relieving her of a cold darkness she hadn’t even sensed creeping in. “I told you _not_ to—”

“I was only asking—”

“You were _reaching_ for her!” Waving a hand at the brunette scrubbing uncried tears from her eyes, Obi-Wan scowled at the younger man. “I told you not to invade her privacy like that!”

“ _You_ do it!”

“I do _not_.”

“You _bonded_ her! What use would you have for something like that if not for the same reasons _ours_ exists?”

“ _Our_ bond does not exist solely for me to keep an eye on you!” The elder of the two looked dreadfully offended. “You know perfectly well why it’s there, Anakin.”

“You won’t let _me_ bond her!” He was yelling now and Iza couldn’t help the way she flinched. If he noticed, it didn’t stop him. “You’ve completely blocked me out!”

“The two of you would destroy each other, Anakin,” Obi-Wan didn’t want to have this conversation. Not here; not now. They weren’t ready. “You both hold far too much pain in your hearts— _you feel too much hatred for the bond to work_.”

“That’s why it felt like that,” Iza murmured, unaware she was speaking out loud.

“What?” Turning his attention to her, the elder Jedi frowned. “What are you talking about, darling?”

Looking at Anakin in silent apology, Iza sagged her shoulders and shook her head.

“We reached for each other our first night. Something happened. To me—not him.” Bringing her hand up, she lightly stroked the side of the younger man’s face and pursed her lips in a soft pout. “It happened so fast, but it… it was like I…”

“You promised.” Anakin said bitterly, turning away from her touch. “You promised you wouldn’t tell him.”

“Ani,” her hand fell away but she refused to let him break eye contact. “ _He_ is our bond.”

“He’s a selfish old fool.”

“You don’t mean that,” leaning in, she tried to touch her forehead to his only to have him turn away. “Anakin— _you feel it_. You feel it the same as I do.”

“I don’t know what I feel.”

“Don’t do that.” Thumping him lightly on the chest, Iza huffed and swallowed hard. “It was a shock baton. Omir used a shock baton on me.”

“Darling—”

Holding her hand up to silence Obi-Wan, the brunette tilted her head to try and get Anakin to look at her again.

“They had me in Force cuffs, Anakin. She shocked me first and then _he_ did it—only _he_ wouldn’t stop. Is that what you want? They tortured me, Ani. They tortured me and I killed him.”

“And Ventress?” _Man_ , that tone was cold.

Turning her hand up, Iza looked lost.

“She let me go.” Shrugging, she watched him shift his gaze back to hers and caught the way his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I don’t know. _I don’t_. I… it’s all in fragments. After he hit me I just lost it. I don’t know if I did something to her or if she was just _scared_ I’d do something to her. But she put me in the pod and let me go.”

“That explains the transmission.” Obi-Wan murmured. “I thought it was strange we’d gotten a signal out of nowhere like that.”

“What is Code Black, Iza?”

The brunette reeled back from the younger Jedi like she’d been struck, nearly sliding out of his lap. Shaking her head at him almost frantically, she felt the tears returning and flinched when Obi-Wan’s hand touched her shoulder again.

“I can’t tell you.” She whispered, flicking her gaze elsewhere. “I can’t,”

“I thought you trusted us?”

“ _Anakin!_ ” Both of the older Jedi’s hands slid beneath Iza’s arms to carefully pluck her off of the other man’s lap, pulling her to her feet and holding her to his side. “ _That’s enough!_ ”

“You can’t tell me you don’t want to know!”

“You heard what Catcher said, Anakin,” combing his fingers into the younger woman’s hair, Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at his partner. “That is not _our_ business to pry into.”

“ _You_ can pry whenever you like!”

“And I _have not!_ ”

“ ** _I CROSSED_** _!_ ” Iza’s tortured cry was muffled by Obi-Wan’s robes, but they heard her loud and clear. She could barely stay standing as she clutched at him, nearly smothering herself as she tried to keep her face pressed into his side while hard sobs wracked her bruised form. “I fucking _crossed_ and he pulled me back.”

“Darling,” Obi-Wan felt like someone had knocked all of the air out of his lungs as he stared down at her. “Darling, what are you talking about?”

“You can’t feel it?” Looking up at him with weary eyes, Iza gripped him tighter when her knees shook and buckled. “You’ve been further inside my head than my own Master and _you can’t feel it?_ ”

“I’m not the kind of man to invade someone’s secrets, Iza,”

She wanted to hit him. Damn him for being so fucking noble.

“You went over,” Anakin said softly, looking at her with curious eyes when she twisted to look back at him. “You… you _fully_ went over.”

“You don’t understand,” she wished Catcher wasn’t locked up in that damn room. She needed him so badly right now. “You don’t know what happened. You don’t—”

“You two fuckers are a _pair_ , you know that?” How had she missed the heavy clomp of Trooper armor coming down the hall? Iza was almost grateful for the bruising grip that clamped around her upper arm and hauled her away from Obi-Wan. “For a couple of Jedi, you sure act like _Sith_.”

“Watch your fucking mouth,” Anakin started to get to his feet, pausing when Iza twisted in Catcher’s hold and pressed her back against his chest protectively. “ _Really?_ ”

“I want to be left alone,” Iza murmured, shifting her gaze to Obi-Wan. Of the two, he’d been the least invasive. She could tell he had some reservations about letting her run off in the state she was in, but also knew he wouldn’t stop her. “I’m _tired_.”

“Go,” nodding, he stooped to pick up the fallen Med-Kit and handed it off to Catcher, who snatched it with a sour look.

“ _Catch_ ,” a restraining hand was placed on the Clone’s arm and the man growled lightly under his breath before he muttered an apology. “I’ll… I’ll explain once I’ve had rest. Does that suit you, Ani?”

“Fine.” He turned away from her, pretending to be interested in something on one of the console screens.

“Do you hate me?”

His entire back tensed up, shoulders bunching up to his ears. Twisting his head slightly to peer at her from the corner of his eye, he let out a harsh huff of breath and turned quickly on his heel. The way he rushed her was frightening and Iza felt Catcher wrap a protective arm around her just before Anakin’s hands found her face and pulled her up for a hard kiss. He growled against her lips when Catcher shoved at his shoulder and Iza had to blindly reach out to try and stop them from starting a fight with her stuck in the middle, all while struggling to keep up with the kiss. Anakin backed off after dragging his teeth over her bottom lip, locking his pretty eyes with hers and pressing his forehead against hers in an aggressive manner.

“Don’t ask me that again,” he hissed, clenching his teeth when Catcher gave him another hard push.

“ _Catcher!_ ” Grabbing for the Clone’s wrist, Iza turned and glared at him. The expression softened when she saw the fury in his eyes and she immediately started shoving him back down the hall. “You two need to stay away from him. Stay away from _me_.”

“What? _Iza_ —”

“Don’t fucking argue!” Grunting as she shoved her shoulders into Catcher’s armored chest, she bared her teeth up at him when he shoved back and lifted her hands in warning. “Don’t make me do it. You know how much I fucking hate this, Catch. Get your ass back in the room.”

His brown eyes burned holes right through her and Iza let out a soft gasp when he stooped and hauled her off of her feet, turning on his heel to stalk down the hall without another word.

“What the hell was _that?!_ ” Anakin snarled, pointing down the hallway.

Obi-Wan stood puzzled, running a hand over his beard as he tried to process what he’d just seen. He’d never seen a Clone behave so aggressively before. Not without provocation. And he couldn’t understand for the life of him how the man had just _known_ how distressed Iza was becoming. The situation was beyond strange to him.

“ _Obi-Wan,_ ”

“I don’t know, Anakin,” he said finally, waving a hand. “I suppose it’s something she’ll explain later.” After a moment, he added, “Perhaps you should not have been so aggressive.”

“Her question infuriated me,” the younger man looked mildly guilty. “I couldn’t help it.”

“I understand, Anakin. But you could’ve gotten hurt.”

“He couldn’t hurt—”

“ _She_ is in no state for you to be approaching her like that.” Shooting Anakin a look, Obi-Wan tutted and moved to take a seat in one of the chairs, rubbing his hands over his face. This whole situation was so fucking exhausting. “Especially not if what she says is true.”

“You doubt her?”

“Not after that,” snorting, the elder Jedi fiddled with the controls in front of him. “There are… scars on her signature. They’re not easy to find. She’s done a good job at hiding them.”

“So you _were_ looking?”

“Not until she let me.” Waving a hand, Obi-Wan sighed again. “She’s skilled in hiding her secrets. I’ll give her that.”

“I didn’t know it was possible to pull someone back,” settling in the other seat, Anakin stared at Obi-Wan with a frown on his face. “I thought once they were gone, they were gone for good?”

“There is always a chance for redemption, Anakin.” The look the older man gave his partner was soft and so was the smile that followed. “It’s hard to say when it happened. Unlike physical scars, the pockmarks in the Force are difficult to put an age to.”

“It would have to be recent, wouldn’t it?” Jerking his head towards the corridor, Anakin fiddled with the glove on his cybernetic hand and shrugged. “She said he pulled her back. She was still a Padawan when they found each other.”

“She’s only recently been knighted as well,” twisting his mouth in a light frown, Obi-Wan hummed in thought.

“We’re going to have to wait, aren’t we?”

“Seems that way.”

“Great,” leaning back in the chair, the younger Jedi heaved a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. “What now? Our target is dead. Do we return to Coruscant or…?”

“I think we can afford to stay away for a few more days.” Glancing back towards the hall and then over at Anakin, Obi-Wan shook his head. “Bringing them back in this state would cause problems. For all of us.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Like always,”

Anakin snorted.

“Sure. Whatever you say, Obi-Wan.”


	13. Your Sins Into Me

“ _Catcher!_ ”

Iza was going to lose her fucking mind. It had been a _terrible_ idea to let this man drag her into the showers while he was still so full of pent up aggression and she hadn’t had time to let her body rest. He’d been so sweet at first, helping her to gently scrub the blood and filth from her skin. She’d even been content to let his touch linger a little too long on her breasts while he pressed affectionate kisses to her neck. But that had quickly turned into him slipping his fingers lower and his mouth had followed soon after. Her legs had been weak enough to begin with and now he held her up with his shoulders as he growled and hummed happily between her thighs. She’d lost track of how long he’d been there, but the water was running tepid now and her body felt like it was practically vibrating.

“ _Quiet, sweetheart,_ ” he mumbled against her flesh, chuckling quietly as he teased his tongue against her clit. He growled at the way she twisted her hips like she was trying to escape the touch, following the movement easily and flicking his eyes up to watch when she arched away from the shower wall and smothered a cry with her palm. Grunting when she started batting at the top of his head, he shot her a dirty look and opted for a lighter touch. When that only earned him more swats and a rather _rude_ tug to his hair, he yielded. Pulling back, he gently pried her thighs from his shoulders and carefully lowered her onto his lap, unable to stop the groan that rumbled in his throat when she rubbed up against his aching cock. “Spoilsport.”

Iza sagged against his chest, burying her face in his shoulder as she shifted on him to straddle his lap. Dragging her teeth over his skin, she lifted her hips and squeezed her thighs against his sides, nails dragging against the back of his neck. She could feel how hard he was and knew how good of a fuck he was when he was so damn riled up. He deserved _something_ out of their unfair exchange from earlier; she never knew what else to offer him aside from her body.

“ _Catch_ ,” turning to run her lips up the side of his neck, she caught the silver hoop in his ear between her teeth and gave it a tug. “ _Please,_ ”

He growled softly in response, the sound reverberating against her chest and making her want to purr in return. The light little knock of his head against hers made her smile and she gasped when he lifted her and angled her just right before lowering her down slowly onto his cock. The deep snarl he gave was muffled against the side of her neck and she could feel him trying to restrain himself as his fingers dug painfully into her hips. She knew what he wanted—and she’d give it to him. Biting down on the tip of her tongue, Iza settled her full weight down onto his lap, taking him completely in one quick motion and causing him to drag his short nails hard over her skin.

“ _Little Bit_ ,” his teeth were cruel against the soft skin of her neck, and she felt the strong muscles of his stomach shivering against her belly when she wriggled to get closer. “ _You **stop** that shit._”

“C’mon Catcher,” using his shoulders for leverage, the brunette lifted herself up in his lap and slid back down with the same force as before, grinning when he cussed and let go of her to flex his fingers into fists. She peppered soft kisses against the side of his face and repeated the move, unable to keep from moaning in his ear. She heard him exhale harshly through his nose and grab for her thighs again, half expecting him to guide her into a smoother rhythm. When he simply held her in place and kept her from moving, she whined at him and pulled back to pout. “ _Catch,_ ”

“You…” he pressed his forehead to hers and nipped sharply at her bottom lip, staring at her with dazed eyes, “You’re going to fucking _ruin_ me, Little Bit.”

“But I want **you** to ruin _me_ , Catch,” she waited for that telltale snarl of his that signaled he’d hit his breaking point and wasn’t disappointed. In an instant, she was on her back at the bottom of the shower with him looming over her in an uncomfortable looking position. Honestly—having her legs pushed up the way that they were while he tried to keep them both from slipping out of the stall was just uncomfortable in general. But as soon as he started moving above her, grunting and growling as he drove his hips into her like some kind of fucking _animal_ , any thoughts of discomfort went right out the window. The water was the worst part, really. The spray from overhead kept getting in her eyes and made her sputter whenever she opened her mouth to gasp or call out to him, but they needed the noise to at least _try_ and mask the sounds of what they were doing. Catcher’s hand over her mouth was just going to have to do the rest of the job.

“You need to be quiet,” he whispered with a soft laugh, as though he wasn’t fucking her with every ounce of his strength and making his own rough sounds on top of it. She could only glare at him momentarily before he hit a spot so deep inside of her that it made her eyes roll and her thighs squeeze tightly against his hips. She wasn’t going to last at this rate—she never lasted long when he was aggressive like this—and she knew he probably wouldn’t either. Giving the palm of his hand a playful nip, Iza smiled at him when he moved it away and brought him down for a rough kiss that neither of them could keep up with.

“ _C’mon_ Catch,” she whispered, biting at his bottom lip hard enough to make him snarl and press his torso flush against hers. Twisting her fingers in his dark hair, she wrapped her legs tight around his waist to keep him right where he was and pushed up from the bottom of the shower with a whine. “Reach for it. You’ve got it this time.”

Brown eyes went wide and wild before he pressed his forehead to Iza’s, bracing his palms against the slick shower floor and concentrated the way she’d been trying to teach him to. He could feel a burning in his chest as he strained to hold back his climax while reaching for that soft warmth he always felt around her. It wasn’t easy; every time he thought he had a grasp on the sweet sensation, he’d slip and it’d move further out of his reach. Iza didn’t make it easy on him, either. He felt every damn bunch of her muscles against his and she continually broke his concentration whenever she tightened around his cock—but _dammit_ , he was going to do this. Doing his best to focus on the way she was breathing and the feeling of that strange energy she surrounded him with, Catcher suddenly felt something in the burning center of his chest _click_ into place and set him on fire.

“ _There you go_ ,”

Did she say it out loud or was that in his head? He hadn’t seen her lips move and he was so fucking overwhelmed with sensation that he could hardly keep control of himself. Burying his face against her neck to smother the loud shout that left him as that vicious heat collected into one place and shot straight through his pelvis, Catcher clawed at and pounded his fist against the bottom of the shower. He felt the rough slide of Iza’s nails drag up his spine, felt her push up into his chest and thought the top of his head was going to blow off as _her_ orgasm echoed through him. Every muscle in his body seemed to go limp at once and he heard her grunt when he settled on top of her a little _too_ quickly.

“M’sorry,” he was so dizzy. The water was cold as hell and felt like needles on his super sensitive skin. Was this what it felt like to be _one with the Force_? “ **Maker** , Little Bit,”

“Breathe,” her fingers were so soft and gentle as they pushed through his hair, sending sharp tingles down his spine and making him hiss from the sensation. “You need to breathe, Catcher.”

“I’m… I’m breathing.” Panting, actually. He could feel his chest flattening hers with every huge lungful he took. He really needed to get off of her.

“Stay where you are,” her green eyes had _stars_ in them. Little flecks of gold scattered in the pretty peridot that called to him, lured him in and made him calmer than he’d ever been in his life. “This is a lot for you.”

“Is this how you feel?” He asked dumbly, flinching when she brushed her lips over the scar on his chin. “Is this what it’s like for you?”

“Sometimes,” she raised her hand and suddenly the water had stopped falling and making his skin prickle. “But I’ve lived with it my whole life. It won’t always be like this for you, either.”

“Can I do your tricks?” He knew his smile was probably real stupid looking, but he didn’t care.

“I don’t know,” shrugging, she smiled back and gave him a nudge. “You can get up now.”

He didn’t want to. He was comfortable here. But he knew she probably didn’t enjoy being flattened against the bottom of the shower like this with his heavy ass on top of her. Especially not when he knew she was still _very_ hurt from being held captive. Slowly, he pushed up onto his arms and paused when his head spun. He felt her brace her palms on his chest to hold him up, heard her tell him to take his time, and carefully sat up. Looping his arm around her to drag her with him, the Clone sank against the wall of the shower and groaned quietly when Iza nuzzled her face against his neck.

“If it’s too much, we can sever—”

“No,” he shook his head, exhaling harshly through his nose. “We worked too hard for this.”

“But I don’t want to overwhelm you,” the press of her lips was so damn _soft_ it was absurd. “Now that we have it, we can—”

“Little Bit,” he held her to him possessively, dropping his head to bury his face in her shoulder. “I’m fine. I’m just dizzy.”

“Regardless,” sighing into his hair, the brunette cuddled into his chest. “It’s going to take some getting used to. It’s best if we get you situated back in the room.”

“Now?”

“Yes, love,” she needed to get a damn patch on for her sore body as well and they both needed rest. “Let me get up first and I’ll help you.”

“I can stand, Iza,” snorting quietly, he looked up at her and smiled at the gentle way she knocked her head into his. Really, the sweet gesture always made him so content. “ _All right_.”

“Thank you,” it took her a moment to get to her feet, legs wobbling slightly once she was upright. Offering her hands to him, she reminded him once again to take his time and braced her palms against his chest once he’d straightened. Waiting until she was sure he was okay to walk, the brunette nudged him and gestured towards the towels stacked on the shelf just outside the stall. “You better cover up. I feel like we’re already gonna get looked at funny for even doing this.”

“Bonding?” Taking two of the towels down, he handed one to her and shook the other out to wrap around his waist.

Iza laughed and shook her head.

“Having sex, love.”

“Right,” watching her wave her hand over the control panel for the door he snorted and waited while she poked her head out into the hall before following her. It felt almost normal to be sneaking back to the room they’d decided to share. Thankful that they hadn’t run into anyone on the way, he ducked into the room after her and sighed quietly when the door slid shut and locked behind them.

“Bed,” pointing, Iza dropped her towel and went to get the Med-Kit Obi-Wan had given them. When he didn’t move, she turned and raised an eyebrow. “ _Catcher_ ,”

“Sorry,” he was trying to get used to the fact that he could _feel_ everything around him. He’d always had these weird little moments where things seemed kind of out of place or abnormal, but he’d brushed them off as his mind playing tricks on him from spending too much time in space. Some of his brothers had been known to be defective enough to be unable to handle too much space travel and he’d often worried he might be one of them. Now that the dizziness was settling and he was starting to get used to the warmth flowing around him, he understood. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he watched while she rooted through the Med-Kit for a bacta patch for the burns and the ugly bruises on her skin. Frowning, he reached out and brushed his fingers against her lower back to get her attention. “Let me,”

“I’ve got it,” she wouldn’t look at him. He hated it when she did that. She always got so weird about letting him tend to her injuries.

“Sweetheart,” he tried again and heard her gasp sharply, pulling his hand back like he was afraid he’d somehow burned her. Had he touched a sore spot? He hadn’t meant to. He really didn’t even know the extent of how bad she was hurt; she’d purposely kept that bit of information from him— _again_.

“Don’t…” letting out a hard exhale, Iza turned to look at him and put her hands up. “Don’t project like that.”

“Project?”

 _Fuck_. Right. She was going to have to teach him a lot, wasn’t she? He wasn’t Force sensitive by nature; she’d yanked all of this to the surface like the selfish little wretch she was so she could keep an even tighter hold on him. There was no telling whether or not he’d be able to do anything more than just _feel_ and put his emotions out into the bond. Teaching him how to be mindful of himself was going to be a damn _process_.

“I can feel how frustrated you are with me,” she explained, eyeballing the patch in her hand before she held it out to him. “And I understand. But you need to work on trying to hold onto those thoughts and feelings and not shoving them out at me like that.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” motioning for her to turn around, he peeled the backing off of the patch and carefully placed it between her shoulders. It would take care of the burns and the bruises in no time.

“I want you to think of something. Anything that makes you feel a specific way.”

That was easy. All he had to do was look at the marks on her body and his anger started boiling in his gut. The second he really started to focus on it, he noticed the way her entire back seemed to tense and he frowned hard.

“ _Little Bit?_ ”

“Something else, please,” she put a hand out and laughed weakly. “I don’t care what. Just—something else.”

“Turn around again,”

“ _You pervert_ ,” she did as he asked, not surprised at all when the next sensation that flooded the bond was a projection of his lust for her. At least this was easier to handle. “Okay. Now hide it from me.”

“How?”

“Remember how we used to try to hide our feelings before? Do that,”

He hesitated for a moment, lowering his gaze to the floor as he tried to follow her instructions. After a minute, he saw her feet shuffling in front of him and glanced up again to see her looking impatient.

“I’m not doing it right, am I?” He asked, smiling tightly.

“Catcher,” reaching out, the Jedi slid her fingers into his wet hair and pulled him in close, smiling at the way he nuzzled his face into her bare chest. “Don’t be upset. You’ll get it.”

“I just don’t want you to have to sever the link,” he murmured, slipping his arms around her waist to pull her in closer.

“I won’t,” dropping a kiss to the top of his head, she hummed softly and nudged him to get him to lie down, following once he’d gotten comfortable. “I can block things out. I’m just tired right now. It’s harder for me to do that.”

Nodding, he smiled at the kiss she dropped on the bridge of his nose, leaning in to rest his forehead to hers.

“Get some sleep, sweetheart. Those two are going to throw a fit if we get back to the city and you haven’t rested.”

“They’re going to throw a fit anyway,” rolling her eyes, the brunette snorted and snuggled into him, reaching to pull the blanket over them both. “You cannot tell them about this, Catcher. You cannot tell _anyone_.”

“I won’t, Little Bit,” he promised, linking his fingers with hers before kissing them. “Our secret.”

“ _Just ours_ ,” squeezing his hand, Iza traced the deep scar on his chin before kissing it. “Love you, Catch.”

“Love you too, Little Bit.”

~*~*~*~

Anakin had fully expected to be ignored for the next day or so, especially since Iza seemed keen on keeping Catcher happy after his weird little outburst. So when she’d come out of the bedroom at the hostel a few hours after they’d gotten back and settled herself on the sofa beside him, he was admittedly a bit shocked. Her face looked much better than it had on the ship and she seemed to be in a calmer state of mind, which was nice. He hadn’t enjoyed the chaotic, messy energy that had followed her around before. At first, he’d only looked at her while she gazed up at him expectantly, unsure of what she wanted. And when she pouted at him, he hadn’t been able to help himself and opened his arms to her so she could crawl into his lap and tuck her head beneath his chin.

“I take it that I’m forgiven?” He asked, lightly running his fingers along her arm.

“I wasn’t mad at you.”

“ _Someone_ was,” gesturing to the bedroom door he gave her a pointed look and got a roll of the eyes in return.

“Listen,” rolling over onto her belly, Iza got comfortable as she draped herself across his chest and sighed. “I told you I would explain some things to you, but you have to understand that I’m only going to tell you what I feel is important. Are you going to be okay with that?”

Did he have much choice?

“I just want you to be honest with me,” that wasn’t too much to ask for, was it? “If you really _must_ keep something secret, then so be it. But you said some things that trouble me, Iza. They trouble _both_ of us.”

“Where _is_ Obi-Wan?” Picking her head up to look around, the brunette frowned a little and got a soft snicker in response.

“Out. He said he had an errand to run.”

“So…” _he knew that look_. “The other bedroom is free?”

“You’ve recovered enough from your shower excursion, have you?” He grinned teasingly and watched her cheeks flush scarlet, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “Is it privacy you want, sweetness?”

“Yes,” Mostly. “I’d rather not wake Catcher if we can help it. I know you won’t be too pleased to hear what I have to say and I’d like it if he couldn’t hear you getting angry. I don’t need him thinking you’re directing it at _me_.”

“He’s been in a rather foul mood since we picked you up,” brushing her off of him, Anakin rolled out of his seat and let her guide him into the second bedroom. The place was almost too well-kept; like nobody had lived in here at all for the last few weeks. It almost seemed wrong to stretch out onto the neatly made bed with her beside him.

“He has his reasons,” sitting up against the headboard, Iza frowned and shifted to let Anakin settle between her knees with his back against her chest. Her fingers instantly threaded into his hair—mostly to give herself something to do while she spoke—and she sighed softly as she dropped a kiss to the top of his head. “You know I’ve had him for a long time.”

“You said you found him,” running his fingers along one of her calves, Anakin tilted his head enough to look at her. “You didn’t specify how long ago.”

“It was at the beginning of the war, actually,” Iza played with his hair and shrugged. “Near the beginning, anyway. I was out with Master Windu on a recovery assignment—he didn’t take me on them often, you know,” she turned a hand up. “He didn’t want me out on the battlefield as a Padawan. Thought it might make me susceptible to… corruption, I guess?”

Anakin didn’t say anything. He knew that Iza’s belated knighting was a sore spot for her, and the way Windu handled her with safety gloves at times even more so. He’d heard her complaining to Obi-Wan about it and he’d witnessed the frustration first-hand in the Temple.

“Anyway—I’ve already told you how I found him. It’s not important.”

“Then tell me the important parts, Iza.”

“I was assaulted when Master Windu brought me with him on another assignment. Catcher was there as my protection—and he did his job. But…” she didn’t know what to do with her hands, suddenly. She felt like running them through Anakin’s hair might result in unnecessary pulling, and the same went for trying to ground herself by holding onto his clothes. Leaning into his back a little more, she decided on wrapping her arms around him for comfort instead. “It did something to me—to my head. It pulled out a side of me that I’d always been told needed to stay concealed. But it was _hard_ , Ani. It was so damn **hard** to fight it.”

He felt sick. Anakin wasn’t sure if he was feeding off her anxiety or if the thought of what she was telling him was just getting to him that much, but he felt like he wanted to vomit. His hands sought hers out and laced their fingers together and he tilted his head to rest it against hers, not knowing what else to do.

“We went to 79’s one night—just to kinda blow off steam, you know? And one of his brothers… he was drunk. He was _so drunk_.” Her laugh was dry and bitter and humorless. “He grabbed me and I freaked out. He wasn’t even trying to do anything to me. He just wanted to dance, I think. I don’t know what happened but it… _fucked_ with my head, and it did something to Catcher because he broke every finger that man had without mercy.”

“ _Force_ ,” turning to look at her with wide eyes, Anakin studied her face even when she refused to look at him. “And he wasn’t reprimanded?”

“I had to _beg_ Ponds not to snitch. I was still a Commander at the time—he shouldn’t even have been listening to me. But I’m not entirely sure I didn’t put him under some sort of compulsion without realizing it.”

“How could you not realize it?”

“Anakin,” she turned and gave him a look. “It took me almost a month to realize I’d **_crossed_**. _I_ wasn’t even the one who realized it. _Catcher_ was.”

“ _How_ , Iza? How do you not notice a shift like that?”

Lowering her gaze, Iza shrugged and rested her chin on his shoulder.

“I’ve always been an angry person. It drives Master Windu _insane_.” A tiny smirk lifted the corner of her lips and disappeared just as quickly as it’d arrived. “I didn’t know the difference and neither did my Master. I threw it all into my training without realizing what I was doing until Catcher and I were sent out to meet some of the 187th. He got ambushed by a Commando droid—like I told you—and I fucking _lost_ it, Anakin. There was just _red_.” Lifting her hands to shake them free, she flexed her fingers and frowned at them. “He said I took it apart bare-handed. That it kept _hitting_ me and I just ripped it apart like it was nothing. I don’t remember anything. I don’t remember anything except for him begging me not to lose myself.”

“How did he pull you back?” Anakin’s voice was rough, but curious.

“He took it from me.” Clenching her jaw, Iza hesitated. “I don’t know how. We’ve never been able to figure it out. Clones aren’t supposed to be Force sensitive, you know? But Catcher’s always _known_ things. He figured out a way to center me and take it out of me. It’s why he’s so…”

“Aggressive?”

She nodded.

“That can’t be safe, Iza. For him or anyone else.”

“ ** _You_** try arguing with him,” scoffing, the brunette made a face. “He insists on it, Anakin. For the most part, he can handle it, too. But it scares me. I’m so afraid I’ll break him sometimes.”

“Is that what _Code Black_ is? Is that why he insisted on being the first one to see you?”

“ _Code Black_ means I’m not doing well. It means I’m hitting that point where I feel like I’m losing myself like last time.” Iza rested her head against his again and snuggled in tighter. “He can handle me when I’m like that. I’m not saying you or Obi-Wan wouldn’t be able to help, just that I wouldn’t _allow_ it.”

“How many times has this happened, Iza?”

“Like this?” She raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “This is the second time I’ve needed him like this. But he _insists_ on grounding me after we get off the battlefield. Especially if I’ve been too aggressive. He thinks that Master Windu will somehow magically **know** something’s wrong.”

“How did your Master miss that?” Twisting to look at her better, Anakin couldn’t quite believe the idea that one of the Order’s best Jedi hadn’t been able to detect a change like that in his own apprentice. “How did he not know you—”

“I _told_ you,” running her fingers through her hair, Iza sat back against the headboard once more. “He’s used to my turmoil. He’s done what he can with me and it has helped a lot, but if you’re referring to the assault…” she paused, pressing her knuckles to her lips. “I purposely didn’t tell him.”

“ _Why?_ ”

“I was ashamed, Anakin,” she couldn’t look at him. “I’m still ashamed. I’m a fucking _Jedi_ and I couldn’t stop it from happening. I couldn’t even talk to Catcher about it until the nightmares started.”

“Is that why you started staying in the barracks?”

“I couldn’t be in the Temple. I was afraid everyone would know.”

“ _Iza_ ,” he wasn’t sure if she’d be comfortable with him touching her, but Anakin couldn’t keep from reaching out to take her hand, running his thumb along her fingers. “Someone would’ve helped.”

“ _Nobody_ would fucking help, Anakin,” blinking the tears off her lashes, she scoffed bitterly and shook her head. “They didn’t notice me slipping into the dark. If they did, they treated it like some kind of challenge for me to pull myself out. You know how much they _love_ those fucking challenges of theirs.”

“How did he figure it out?” Anakin didn’t want to talk about how corrupt the Order felt sometimes. It angered him enough to think about when it came to his own problems and how they liked to handle them. “How did Catcher know you’d slipped?”

“He said my eyes started to change. I stopped using just my lightsaber on the battlefield and started relying on the Force more. I pulled power from places I’d used before—just in larger doses.” Gesturing, she shot him a look. “You know Master Windu forged the Vaapad technique, and he’s taught me a few things. It started to become second nature to fight that way, even when we weren’t going against droids.”

“ _Iza_ ,”

“Catcher said that when the incident with the Commando droid happened, he couldn’t _see_ me. I thought he meant my personality, you know?” No—Anakin wasn’t going to get a chance to scold her for things she felt guilty enough about. “But he explained that there were just _parts_ everywhere. Blood and parts and oil. It was like I’d disappeared. And I guess I blacked out because I just remember him shaking me and telling me to _come back_.” The smile on her lips was pained and once again, she couldn’t find it in her to look at Anakin directly. “He said I felt hollow. My heart didn’t _feel right_. I don’t know how he knew that.”

“It’s possible to bond with someone through the Force when they’re not sensitive,” the younger man said softly, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. “I’m surprised you don’t know that.”

“It takes a lot of focus and practice.” She mumbled back. “It’s not something that just _happens_. We’ve tried.”

“And you haven’t been successful?”

“No.”

Somehow, he didn’t believe that. But he wasn’t going to say so.

“Trauma can cause a bond to form.” He watched her pick her head up and stare at him with an odd look in her eye. “You said he’d been abandoned by his General because he was injured?” He smiled softly when she nodded and gave her a pointed look. “There you go, sweetness.”

It made sense. It made a _lot_ of sense. But it still didn’t explain how Catcher had known she was going to find him before she’d even arrived. It didn’t explain a lot of little things—but she didn’t need answers to those things right now.

“Can I ask you something?” Anakin stirred her from her thoughts. “I don’t want to be insensitive, but I’m… _curious_ ,”

“You want to know why I behave the way I do in bed?” Laughing, the brunette grimaced and rubbed at the back of her neck. “We called it _therapy_. I got it in my head that if I let him be rough with me with my consent, it would make the bad thoughts go away. And it helped. It did. It also took away some of the darkness because I projected it into _him_ —on his insistence.”

“Is that what he meant when he told me it took him a long time to _get you to this point?_ ”

Iza looked at him for a moment before letting out a bark of laughter and thumping her head against the headboard.

“Catch, you sick fuck,” rubbing her hands over her face with another snicker, the Jedi sighed and turned her palms up. “I suppose that’s what it means. Knowing him, he’s trying to tell you that he got here first. That _he_ molded me into this. It’s his way of establishing dominance, Anakin. Surely you’ve noticed that he’s a bit of an asshole about that by now.”

“ _I’ve noticed_.”

“He has every right to behave that way. He fixed me.” She shrugged and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder. “You would not have me if it weren’t for him, Skywalker.”

Anakin made a face before dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

“You’re all right now, though?”

“I’m in one piece— _mostly._ ” Looking up through her lashes, the older woman smirked. “I still have nightmares sometimes, and I have moments of aggression that are unbecoming of a Jedi. Obi-Wan is very correct in saying I have a lot of pain in my heart.”

“But you’re _all right?_ ”

“Are you asking me if I’ve fallen again, Anakin?”

“No,” bowing his head to rest it against hers, he ran his fingers into her hair and closed his eyes. “I’m asking how you are. I genuinely care, sweetness. I want you to know that you can come to me, too. If you find you can’t go to Catcher— _I’m here_.”

“I’m okay,” she whispered shakily, moving away from the headboard to swap places with him and crawl into his lap. She didn’t know what to do with the feeling in her chest. It hurt, but it was so warm and sweet at the same time. It got worse when he wound his arms around her and nestled his head against hers, threatening to escape in a sob the higher it rose in her throat. “Thank you,”

“For what?”

“Everything. All of this.” She laughed and briefly buried her face against his arms, hoping he wouldn’t feel tears seeping through the sleeves of his robes. “Letting me keep him.”

“For someone who has been over the line and back, you’ve got a lot of love in your heart,” he pressed his lips to the side of her head and kept them there, humming into her hair. “I felt how much it broke you when Master Windu tried to take him from you. I couldn’t do that. I can be an asshole, Iza, I’ll be the first to admit it,” he heard her snicker and had to refrain from giving her a pinch. “But don’t think I could ever be cruel like that.”

“He thought he was doing something to help,” huffing into Anakin’s sleeves, Iza grumbled irritably. “He has it in his head that Catcher is the reason for my aggression. He doesn’t understand because he doesn’t _ask_. He just _assumes_ things.”

“Perhaps you need to _tell_ him, sweetness.”

“ _Telling_ him comes with confessing to things that I would like to keep to myself,” leaning back to look at him, she shot him a very pointed look. “Do you know what he would do if he knew I’d crossed? Or that I’ve been fucking Catcher? Do you want to lose me so soon, Ani? Because that is what will happen.”

“You could, at the very least, tell him about what happened to you.”

“Yes—and then he would treat me as something _fragile_ , Anakin.” Working her jaw, Iza scowled at the bedspread beneath them. “I would lose my Vaapad lessons. I would lose my Squad. I’d be restricted to the Temple—possibly even made to stay in the archives with Madame Jacosta. I will _not_ be made into a _helper_. I’ve worked too hard to be reduced to a simple—”

The kiss Anakin pressed to her lips was soft and undemanding, meant only to silence her and perhaps to soothe some of the agitation he felt rising to the surface. Maybe he’d said the wrong thing, asked the wrong questions. He had a bad habit of doing that sometimes. But his intentions had not been to upset her and he hoped she knew that. He was a little surprised when she pressed closer and deepened the kiss, feeling her fingers tighten around his wrists as the softest of sounds rose in her throat and escaped into his mouth. He wished she wouldn’t do that to him. He’d only wanted to comfort her, not kickstart something that would have them rolling around in his Master’s bed.

Iza, on the other hand, seemed to have other ideas. She’d twisted in his lap and braced her hands on his thighs, pressing flush against his chest to back him up into the headboard. Snickering against her lips, the younger man slid his arms around her and pulled back as much as he could to raise an eyebrow at her.

“Really?” He teased, unable to keep from smiling.

“He hasn’t told you about his other nickname for me, has he?” Stealing tinier kisses, the brunette nestled closer and grinned.

“No,” shaking his head, Anakin eyed her. “What nickname is that?”

“Insatiable Nightmare,”

“ _Fitting_ ,” even as Iza continued to kiss him and press up on his chest, Anakin hesitated a little. He felt the soft, rumbling growl of frustration in her chest before he heard it and frowned at the way she pouted at him when she sat back to give him a dirty look. “Sweetness—”

“Don’t you _dare_ treat me like I’m broken, Anakin,” she snapped, looking like she might hit him. “I swear, if you or Obi-Wan start treating me like there’s something wrong with me, I will _leave_. I will take Catcher and I will—”

Anakin cut her off when he grabbed her face and pulled her in for a hard kiss, biting at her bottom lip and trailing the little nips of his teeth all the way down her chin and jaw.

“You’re so _annoying_ ,” he grumbled, pulling at her clothes to bring her closer. “I was only going to tell you that we’re supposed to wait for Obi-Wan.”

“He’s used to us breaking rules,” her hands had started fumbling to get his belt undone and off so she could work on the rest of the layers he had on. Did he _really_ have to have the damn robes on? “He’ll live.”

“He’ll be upset,” snickering, the younger Jedi brushed Iza’s hair away from her neck and sank his teeth into his favorite spot. “ _You_ will likely suffer the most.”

“You say that like it’s a _threat_ ,” pawing at him with a soft whine, Iza gave a tug to the fabric of his robes. “ _Anakin_ , take them off.”

“You have to _move_ first.”

Grumbling, she pulled back with a great amount of reluctance and watched impatiently as Anakin began removing the layers of his robes as quickly as he could. When he was down to his bare chest and his pants, he gave her a look and turned his hands up.

“Better?”

Her response was to crawl over him and plant the same sort of biting kisses to his skin that he’d given her, occasionally soothing the little marks with her tongue when she heard him hiss if she nipped too hard. She was so damn caught up in what she was doing that she hadn’t heard the door open, hadn’t felt the way Anakin tensed underneath her. She’d chalked it up to the fact that she’d started moving her mouth lower on his torso and snickered at him, looking up to find him with his attention focused elsewhere. Before she could ask, the heavy weight of another chest pressed against her back and nearly flattened her into the bed, the familiar scratch of a beard brushing against her ear as Obi-Wan growled quietly at her.

“What do you think you’re doing, darling?”

“I warned her,” Anakin chuckled, grinning when Iza shot him a scowl. “She didn’t want to listen.”

“You fucking—” a hand came down _hard_ against her backside and Iza had to bury her face in the crook of her arm to muffle the cry that followed. The last thing she needed was to wake Catcher.

“ _Mouth_.” The elder Jedi’s tone was stern and he gave her another good swat before kissing the side of her head and lifting his weight off of her. “Up, darling. No games tonight.”

“What do you mean?” Turning over, she knit her brows together and frowned at him.

“I mean _no games_ ,” he said it like she was supposed to know exactly what it meant. Behind her, Anakin winced and gave her a nudge.

“It means we can’t…” he started, looking almost sorry when she twisted to look at him.

“You’re fucking _joking?_ ”

“ ** _Mouth_** _._ ”

“Oh _fuck you_ ,” getting to her feet, the brunette moved to brush past Obi-Wan and nearly yanked out of his grasp when he took hold of her arm. Giving him the foulest look she could manage, she started to reach out to push him, only to have him take hold of her hand and bring it to his lips and kiss her knuckles.

“Not tonight, darling,” those stupid blue eyes were too damn kind and sincere for her liking. That wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t want tenderness. She didn’t want to be treated _sweetly_.

“Get off,” pulling away from him, Iza looked between them for a moment and huffed before turning to go.

“ _Iza_ ,”

“Leave me alone,”

“It’s for your own good, darling,” Obi-Wan called after her, trying to ignore the way Anakin was glaring at him. He knew his partner was just as frustrated as the brunette, but there was still a fair amount of concerning energy radiating off of that girl and he didn’t want it triggering anything within the younger man.

“ ** _Fuck off_** _._ ”

“You better stop swearing at me,” following after her, he halted when she stopped just outside the doorway and glared at him with a rather hurt expression on her pretty face. “Do not look at me like that. This isn’t a punishment, Iza.”

“How much did you hear? How long were you standing on the other side of the door, Obi-Wan?” She looked tired; the arousal that had glittered in her eyes just moments before was waning into anger and her body seemed to sag as she stood there to challenge him. “Did I say something to upset your morals? Do you no longer want to go to bed with a woman who has been _defiled?_ ”

“ _Iza_ ,” he couldn’t believe she’d say something like that to him. It was such a vile thing to assume of him—of _either_ of them—and it was quite a cruel thing to say about herself as well. “Darling, that is _not_ —”

“What is it then, Obi-Wan? _What the fuck is it?_ ”

She flinched horribly when he reached out to touch her face, but didn’t try to push him off. Letting him slide his fingers under her jaw and pull her close until he was cradling her head against his chest, Iza sank into him and breathed out a harsh sob.

“My darling girl,” bowing to kiss the top of her head, Obi-Wan slipped his fingers into her hair and dropped an arm around her waist to hold her closer. “It is _not_ a cure-all. You must learn to give your mind time to heal from these things. Distracting yourself the way that you do… it does you no good. It only serves to exhaust you and make you more susceptible to what you’re trying to avoid.”

“I’m _fine_ ,”

“You are not.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, Iza ducked her head so he couldn’t see her face. Giving his chest a weak smack, she drew in a shaky breath and bit down on her tongue hard.

“Who are you to tell me how I ought to cope?”

“I suppose I cannot tell you how to do anything,” he sighed heavily and shook his head. “But I will not be used as a tool to give temporary relief to a bigger problem, Iza.”

“You can’t tell Anakin that he isn’t allowed—”

“Did you not hear me?” Lifting her chin, Obi-Wan frowned at her. “You may not _use_ us, Iza. That is not what we are here for.”

“I’m not… _how **dare** you._” Pulling back from him, she gave the elder Jedi a good push and back up a few paces. “How fucking _dare_ you assume that’s what I’m doing!”

“What would you call it, darling?” Iza hated how calm he was. She wanted to throw something at him; hit him. Anything to wipe that neutral fucking expression off his stupid face.

“Everyone expresses their love differently, _Master Kenobi_ ,” she backed up a few more steps and fought to keep her face from screwing up. “Excuse me if that’s how I prefer to do it. I’ll be more mindful about _saying_ it instead.”

His blue eyes went soft as they studied her, but he was too late to reach for her again. Iza had already turned and stormed off towards the other bedroom. He didn’t think chasing her was a smart idea. Anakin, on the other hand, shoved past him and ran to scoop her off of her feet, half dragging her onto the couch even when she shouted and kicked her feet.

“ _Don’t listen to him_ ,” he whispered, pressing his lips to the side of her head. “Don’t let him tell you how you should do _anything_ , sweetness.”

“ _Anakin_ ,”

“ _Stop_ ,” twisting to look at the older man, Anakin scowled and narrowed his eyes harshly. “I won’t let you ruin this. Not again.” Clenching his teeth behind tightly pressed lips, the younger Jedi held tight to Iza and tucked his chin in the crook of her neck. “She fought for you to accept how much she cares for you. Don’t fucking throw this away, Obi-Wan.”

“I’m not throwing _anything_ away, Anakin!” He hadn’t wanted to raise his voice. The last thing Obi-Wan wanted was to wake the Clone in the next bedroom and have him come barreling in to rescue Iza from a false threat. “For _fuck’s sake_ —do you think I want to tell her **no**? Do you think I want to be the one that has to stand in the middle and mediate? Because I _don’t_. I would love it very much if I could freely fuck about the way you do. But someone has to keep you two in line. _Someone_ has to make sure you don’t become too reckless with each other—and with yourselves.”

It was hard to say whether the silence from the two younger Jedi was caused by his yelling or the fact that he was swearing so blatantly. Either way, they stared at him from their place on the couch and waited to see if he was finished. He was not.

“I _do not_ want her to hurt herself. Look at how exhausted she is, Anakin. _Feel_ how exhausted she is. Do you really think going to bed with her at a time like this is a good idea?” Gesturing, Obi-Wan heaved a sigh and dragged his fingers through his hair. “I apologize, darling, if my assumptions hurt your feelings. That was not my intention—but you must understand from _my_ point of view that it feels very much like we’re being used to help you cope. You’ve had no problem verbalizing your feelings to this point.”

“But _you_ have,” she cut in, shooting him an accusing look. “You said you’d let me feel your affections, Obi-Wan. Maybe that’s what I _wanted_.”

“You know very well how to ask for that,”

“ ** _I shouldn’t have to ASK_**.” She thrashed a little in Anakin’s hold, kicking at the back of the couch and nearly headbutting the poor man in the chin. “I shouldn’t have to _beg_ , Obi-Wan! That is not how Love works! That’s how your twisted _game_ works and I don’t want to fucking play anymore!”

“Iza—”

“ _Shut up Anakin!_ ” Leaning her head into his as gently as she could, she grit her teeth and swallowed against a sob. “You… are not the problem.”

“Would you prefer it if I cut you both loose?” Obi-Wan asked, making the two look up at him again. He wore that neutral expression once more and it was difficult for either of them to get a read on his emotions. He’d blocked them both out. “Is that what you want?”

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin started to sit up, his hold on Iza loosening. “That is not—”

“You’re a fucking _bastard_.” Pulling away from Anakin completely, Iza moved to the other end of the couch instead of attempting to get to her feet. She had the horrible feeling she’d only be halted again and didn’t know if she had the strength not to scream out to Catcher. “That’s so _dirty_.”

“It’s an honest question.” Obi-Wan looked between the two. “You seem agitated with me more and more these days. I cannot help but wonder if you’d be happier on your own.”

“You would do that to him?” Gesturing to Anakin, Iza let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. “ _Me_ , I can understand. But _him?_ That’s **filth**.”

The older man didn’t say anything and simply shifted his gaze to Anakin, who looked torn. It was like he didn’t know whether he was angry or sad or sick to his stomach. His emotions were no easier to read. There was something cold in the energy around him and it had begun to slowly trickle along their link.

“He does not deserve your games. He loves you so much, Obi-Wan.” Iza pulled his attention back and he flinched when he saw the way she was scowling at him. “You can throw me out if you want, but don’t do that to him.”

“Darling—”

“You don’t get to call me that anymore.” Her chest heaved as her face twisted and turned bright red. “You don’t get to make me feel sweet things for you. You’re _cruel_. Not just to me, but to Anakin. I won’t be a part of this.”

She felt the desperate attempt Anakin made to grab for her as she got to her feet and very nearly let him have her again. The only thing stopping her was knowing that she no longer wanted to be stuck in the middle of them. She didn’t want to be the wedge that drove them apart. His second attempt was a little more aggressive, his hands pulling at her clothes to try and haul her back against his chest while he murmured pleas for her not to do this, not to leave. Shutting her eyes against the way he pressed his face to the side of her neck and clutched at her, Iza tried to pull away and found he’d rooted them both to their spots.

“Anakin,” she whispered harshly, reaching up to run her fingers into his hair. “Honey, _please_ ,”

The second set of hands that tugged on her startled the hell out of her and Iza would’ve yelled at the amount of force used if she hadn’t suddenly been smothered by a bearded face. At first, she almost punched him. She damn near raised a fist and knocked it right into the side of that stupidly handsome face of his. But the tighter he held onto her and the deeper and gentler his kiss became, the harder it got for her to fight him. He filled her whole soul with that knee-weakening warmth of his, pushing as much of it along their bond as he could to flush out the ache in her heart that had steadily been growing the longer the argument went on. Soon, he was whispering soft apologies against her lips, dragging his hands up her back to cradle her head and keep her from pulling away before he was done.

“ _Say it_ ,” swallowing hard, Iza sucked in a sharp breath when the hard press of Anakin’s chest covered her back and pushed her further into Obi-Wan, trapping her between them with no way of escaping. How fucking _ironic_. “Obi-Wan just fucking _say it_.”

“I love you,” his voice was soft and sincere, his eyes never leaving hers as he said it. A tiny smile lifted the corner of his lips and he shifted his gaze to the younger Jedi behind Iza, his expression softening even more. “ _Both_ of you.”

Leaning over Iza’s shoulder, Anakin rested his forehead to Obi-Wan’s and shut his eyes. The brunette watched for a moment and nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hard jolt of anger in her chest. It wasn’t hers; there was no way it could be hers right now. Frantically pushing them both out of her way, she rushed to the bedroom where she found Catcher sitting on the edge of the bed with a furious look on his face. Slamming her hand down on the panel to shut and lock the door behind her, she went straight to him and grabbed his face as gently as she could, throwing her legs over his lap and pushing her chest into his _hard_.

“ _No_ ,” she whispered, knocking her forehead into his a little too roughly. “You _stop_.”

“I can feel it, Iza,” he growled, his hands coming up to grasp the back of her shirt. “ _I feel the way_ —”

“Block. It. Out.”

“ _I **can’t**._”

“Look at me,” leveling her peridot gaze with his hazel-toned brown eyes, Iza stroked her thumbs along his cheeks and brushed her nose against his. “Breathe, Catch. Follow me and breathe.”

He resisted at first, twisting his mouth in a hard frown the longer he looked at her and felt the overwhelming sensation of love for _someone else_ flowing through her. But soon he was counting those little gold flecks in her eyes and doing his best to match the rhythm of her chest as it rose and fell against his. The burning sensation in his gut started to cease, replaced by something softer and easier to bear. His hands relaxed in her shirt and his expression softened to one of apology. When he closed his eyes and tucked his head against her shoulder, Iza breathed a heavy sigh and ran her fingers through his hair to soothe him.

“It’s okay,” she murmured, feeling him tighten his arms around her waist. “You’ll get it, love. You’ll be able to do this on your own soon.”

“I hate it,” he grumbled, shaking his head. “Iza—what did they _do_ to you?”

“Catcher, _don’t_ ,” she tugged his hair to punctuate the order. “Don’t undo what we just did.”

“I don’t want to feel that again! That isn’t fair, Iza.”

“Catcher,” leaning back to look at him, she cupped his chin and frowned. “You agreed to this. You said you were okay with it.”

“That was before I knew how deeply you felt for them.” His chest heaved as he stared at her, looking very much like he wanted to tear the door down to get to the men on the other side. “You woke me up with that shit. _That’s not fair_.”

“No, it isn’t,” a sad look crossed Iza’s face and she slumped forward in his lap. “But how do you think _they_ feel when they see how strongly I feel for you?”

Catcher didn’t say anything.

“This isn’t a competition, Catch. Please don’t try and turn it into one. I’m begging you.” Leaning in, she pressed her lips to his forehead and grunted when he squeezed her possessively. “I understand how confusing this feels for you. But please don’t believe that my feelings for them are more important than my feelings for you.”

“I don’t like it,” he whispered, shutting his eyes so he wouldn’t have to look at her. “I’m _trying_ —but I don’t like it, Iza.”

“I know you don’t, love,” she’d been so afraid of this. Even without the bond, Iza had been terrified that Catcher’s possessiveness would come crawling out of the woodwork and make this difficult. “Do me a favor,”

“What?”

“Reach for me,” nuzzling her nose against his, she brushed her lips over his in a tiny kiss. “Reach for me and tell me what you find.”

“I don’t want to. I’ve had enough of this tonight.”

“Please?”

“If I do, will you stay here? Will you stay with me?”

 _Fuck_.

“Yes.” Nodding, she kissed him again and brushed the hair off of his forehead. “I will stay.”

“ _All night?_ ”

“ _Yes_ , Catcher.”

He gave her a look like he wasn’t quite sure he trusted that, and then relented. Making a face as he focused on the strange new energy that had been swirling around him for the last few hours, he felt his way along the warmth connecting them and shivered a little when his chest seemed to swell with pure affection and adoration—all of it for _him_. It was hard to tell whether she was projecting it just for show or not; he wanted to believe that it was genuine. The longer he let it simmer inside of him and wrap around him, Catcher felt himself relaxing. _Okay_ —he got it. He had a whole portion of her heart all to himself, and it was an unfair portion at that. She had more than enough room for the three of them. He just needed to stop being so damn scared of losing her to understand that.

“I’m not going anywhere,” her breath was warm on his cheeks, nails gentle when they scratched the wickedly sensitive spot behind his ear. He loved and hated it when she did that; it always sent the strangest chill down the back of his neck. “I’ve been yours from the start, Catch. I can love them too, but I’m still _yours_. You have more of me than anyone else ever will. _Please_ , love, do not let your jealousy rule you.”

“I need time,” he said quietly, gingerly knocking his head into hers.

“I know you do. I’m trying to give you as much of it as I can, Catch,” smiling faintly, Iza gave him a nudge to get him to lie back, following him and settling against his chest comfortably. “It will be easier when we go back to Coruscant.”

“I don’t think so.” Frowning, he reached to gather some of the blankets and cover them both. “I think it will be worse for you.”

“I will be fine,” she really didn’t want to talk about it; it was something that had been in the back of her mind and she didn’t like that he’d found the worry. “We will make all of this work.”

Making a face, Catcher kept his mouth shut and leaned up to kiss the end of her nose. If Iza didn’t want to discuss it, then he wouldn’t push. He didn’t feel like disrupting the soft, sweet emotions she was sending along their bond if he could help it.

“Go back to sleep, Catch.” Nudging him, she smiled and nestled her cheek against his shoulder. “I promise I won’t leave.”

“I’ll know if you do.” He warned, trying to force back a smile.

“You have to let me finish talking to them tomorrow.”

“I knew there was a catch.” Scrunching his nose, he sighed. “ _Fine_.”

“You took me away at a very inconvenient time, love.” Pausing, she shifted higher so she could settle her head against his and gave a soft hum when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I know it’s my fault and I’m sorry for throwing you into that sort of… panic. But there are things that I need to fix.”

“I understand.”

“Hey,” nudging him, she lured him into a soft kiss and lightly trailed her finger along his jaw. “I love you,”

“Love you too, Little Bit.”

“ _Sleep_.”

“All right, all right. Fucking _bossy._ ”


	14. It's Our Paradise and It's Our War Zone

Obi-Wan had been sleeping quite _peacefully_ with Anakin beside him when he became extremely aware of another presence in the room. Stirred from his sleep, he half expected to be attacked—for what reason, he didn’t know—so the soft press of a female body against his back _definitely_ confused him at first. The sweet smell of malreaux rose surrounded him and for a moment, he felt the urge to shrug her off. He was a little annoyed by the way she’d just run off after making him pour his feelings out the way that he had; even more annoyed by the fact that she’d gone and bonded that damn Clone while believing that they wouldn’t notice. But when she started pressing tiny kisses to the back of his neck and he felt the gentle sweep of her hair tickling his skin, the older man knew he was a goner.

“What are you doing, darling?” he murmured against the pillow, turning his head as much as he could to try and look at her.

“Saying _sorry_ ,” she whispered back, sliding off to settle in the space between him and Anakin. “I had every intention of returning last night, but I had to make a deal with him.”

“Mm,” turning onto his side, Obi-Wan propped his cheek on his knuckles and raised an eyebrow. “You left in a hurry.”

“I know,” shifting closer, Iza set her head on his pillow and reached up to brush some of the hair off of his forehead. “He was angry. I didn’t want him to come out and—”

“You’ve got no idea how to handle him, do you?”

“What?”

“Darling,” blue eyes shimmered knowingly in the dim light of the room as Obi-Wan smirked. “I’ve been around a little longer than you have. I know a bond when I feel one.”

Iza tried her hardest not to look guilty but ultimately ducked her chin just to avoid having to look him in the eye. _Fuck_. If he knew, then Master Windu was going to know. The whole Temple would know and she’d get in so much damn trouble. Shutting her eyes against the gentle press of lips on her forehead, she swallowed thickly and fought the urge to poke her bottom lip out in a pout.

“There’s no need for that,” continuing to brush his lips over her brow and down the bridge of her nose, the elder Jedi brought his free hand up and stroked her cheek. “Would you like some help?”

“I told him to keep it a secret.”

“And you may continue to keep it a secret. I asked _you_ , darling.”

Hesitating, Iza sighed quietly.

“I just want to make it easier for him to adjust.”

“You will need to spend more time with him,” his smile was soft when she opened her eyes to look at him. “Think of it as having taken a Padawan, my dear. He needs to learn from you. He harbors your darkness. You must teach him to expel it, to balance himself out.”

“Did you know?” Frowning curiously, she tilted her head deeper into the pillow and got a soft chuckle in return.

“I knew enough.”

“Will he be able to—”

“He is not _Sensitive_ the way we are, darling. He is attuned to the Force, there is a difference.”

Part of her felt relieved; the other part was disappointed. It would’ve been fun to teach him how to play with the Force the same way she could.

“He is a very rare find, my dear.” Obi-Wan’s lips caressed her forehead again, his fingers lightly running down the side of her neck. “I see why you cherish him the way you do.”

“It’s deeper than that, Obi-Wan. I don’t covet him like a treasure.”

“No,” his forefinger and thumb gently rolled her earlobe and he snickered when she shivered at the touch. “But he covets _you_ as such.”

“I will not be training him to behave like a Jedi.” Her eyes met his and she gave a stern look, allowing herself to run her fingers through the sparse curls on his chest. “He is a _soldier_. He should continue to behave like one.”

“You only need to teach him to mind his emotions, darling.”

“I can’t even do that for myself,” Iza laughed quietly and averted her gaze. “How can I teach him?”

“I will show you. But you must trust me. _He_ must trust me.”

“He won’t be able to do that if he continues to feel my pain, Obi-Wan,”

“ _You_ need to learn when to be responsible enough to close off the link, Iza.” Giving her a pointed look, Obi-Wan gently pinched her chin. “I understand not wanting to lose the feeling, but if he’s made to feel everything you feel—you _will_ break him.”

Iza fell silent to let that sink in, twisting to press her face into the pillow while he gathered her against his chest and skimmed his hand along her back in a soothing gesture. Obi-Wan hadn’t wanted to tell her this, but he didn’t want to lie. Bonds were a very serious thing and she needed to treat it as more than just a way to keep her hands wrapped around that man. He should be reprimanding her for being so selfish, but how could he? How could he tell her she was in the wrong when he’d done the same with her? With _Anakin?_ Bowing to kiss the top of her head, he nudged his fingertips beneath her shirt and traced gentle shapes over her skin, smiling at the tiny whine she let out at the touch. Such sweet little sounds from an otherwise innocent touch were enough to set his chest on fire. Faintly, he wondered if she could sense the way she drove him positively _thermal_ with the way she reacted to his touch.

“He’s asleep,” she said quietly, her voice muffled.

“And _you_ are insatiable,” propping his chin against the top of her head, Obi-Wan huffed out a laugh and slipped his hand a little higher. “What have we done to you, darling?”

“Not you,” Iza mumbled, running a crooked finger along the center of his chest. “I suppose I’ve done this to myself.”

“You have such amazing poise at the Temple. One would never know—”

“The same could be said of _you_.” Giving him a look, Iza snorted. “I would never have guessed you were such an animal. Anakin, _yes_. But never you.”

He laughed and ducked his head briefly, shrugging with a gentle sigh.

“We all have our vices, my dear.”

“Obi-Wan?”

“Yes, darling?”

Iza looked up at him for a long time, trying hard not to let worry slip into her features. She really didn’t want to talk about this—or think about it—but she knew they were going to have to discuss it at some point. Drawing in a slow breath, she hesitated; opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again only to have her jaw wobble and force her to press her lips together tightly against the way her face started to screw up.

“ _My love_ ,” the hand beneath her shirt retreated to come up and cup her face, bringing her in for a soft kiss. Peppering them over her cheeks and across her eyes to prevent tears from falling, Obi-Wan shifted closer and shook his head. “This will not end once we return to the Temple. _I promise_. We will find time. You and your Catcher found plenty of time, did you not?”

“He’s my _Commander_.” She rasped, sucking down a sharp breath. “He’s always with me. He _has_ to be.”

“Then you will just have to be with us all the time.”

“ _I can’t_.” Iza shut her eyes and shuddered, frowning hard against a sob that threatened to escape. “I have my squad, my _duties_. And you have _yours_.”

“Darling, please look at me,”

It took her a long moment, but Iza managed to open her eyes and stare at him through the tears that had collected in her lashes.

“Do you believe that we would bring you into this if we didn’t think we’d be able to continue once we returned home?” Running his fingers into her hair, Obi-Wan smiled softly and raised an eyebrow. “I’ve told you before—we are not monsters. We would not toy with you like that.”

“You threatened to let us go.” She reminded him.

“ _No_ ,” he sounded like he hadn’t _wanted_ that reminder. “I asked if it would make you happier. There is a difference, darling.”

“Not to us. Not to him.”

“I realize that,” his thumb came up to sweep away the rogue tear that had managed to fall from her eye. “And I’m so very sorry for suggesting it. I’ve apologized to Anakin, but I didn’t get the chance to apologize to you. It was not my intention to be cruel.”

“I don’t want to go back to Coruscant.” Iza said softly, finding that she could barely speak in more than a whisper. “I’m so afraid, Obi-Wan.”

“You’ve nothing to be scared of, darling.”

“I have _plenty_ to be scared of.” Scoffing, she rolled her eyes. “Master Windu will be _furious_ when I get back.”

“Master Windu has never held a grudge in his life.” His look was pointed and a little annoyed. “He certainly would not hold one against you. Surely you must know how much he cares for your well-being?”

“He tried to take Catcher from me. How can you say that?”

“I have spoken to him about that,” he didn’t like the sudden look of betrayal that crossed her face and tried to soothe it with a kiss that went unreturned. “His reasoning is a bit… _fallacious_. But your Master’s intentions were not to harm you.”

“You’re taking his side?”

“ _No_.” Obi-Wan made sure to drive the point home by holding her gaze for as long as she’d allow him to. “I want to make it very clear that I don’t believe removing Catcher from your company was a wise decision at all. I just want you to understand that Master Windu was only worried for your safety because of what was found on the communicator disc. It took a fair bit of convincing that the images were false productions, and I’m not _entirely_ sure he believes me. But he has no intention of attempting to take your Commander again.”

“He can’t anyway,” scoffing Iza made a nasty face and scowled. “He belongs to Torrent Company. We both do.”

“About that,”

“ _Obi-Wan_.”

“This is _not_ my doing, darling. Please stop getting angry at me.”

“I thought Anakin had it handled? I thought he and Rex got it squared away?”

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple, my dear.” He looked sorry even as he said it. “The paperwork was rejected. Master Windu has agreed to take Catcher back into the 187th on Master Plo’s insistence. You and your Stars will remain under his command.”

“That’s such _sithspit!_ ” Shifting like she was going to get up, Iza found she didn’t have to damn strength to. Turning over onto her back, she brought her hands up to her face and scrubbed her palms over it, batting at his hand when he tried to touch her. “ _Fu—_ ”

A pair of long, warm arms wound around her middle and hauled her against a hard-muscled chest, soft bits of hair brushing against her cheeks as the press of hot lips met her forehead.

“I did everything I could, sweetness,” Anakin’s voice was rough with sleep. “I tried calling in a favor from the Chancellor, but the old bastard wouldn’t do it.”

Curling into him with a rather pathetic whine, Iza ducked her head so he wouldn’t see her pout. How was it that it seemed whenever one thing managed to be fixed, another fell apart? This was becoming so exhausting.

“I know, sweetness. _I know_ ,” he whispered, nuzzling his face into her neck. “I really wanted you with me, too.”

“I don’t _want_ to go back.” She whimpered again, feeling him tighten his arms around her.

“We can’t stay here, darling,” Obi-Wan shifted behind her, a hand smoothing along her side. “You know that.”

She wanted to say something that would likely upset them both. It wasn’t like she’d never thought about it before; she just had a real reason to consider it now.

“ _Absolutely fucking **not**._” The older Jedi’s tone was firm as he pressed up against her back and sandwiched her between himself and Anakin. “I feel that. I feel every _ounce_ of that, darling. You get those thoughts out of your head _now_.”

“What are you talking about?” Anakin had picked his head up and was looking between the two with a tired, curious expression. Clearly he wasn’t awake enough to sense Iza’s confliction.

“This one,” Obi-Wan was _not_ pleased as he set his chin on Iza’s shoulder and shot her a look from the corner of his eye. “Is thinking of _leaving._ ”

“You can’t.” Now Anakin was giving her _that look_ and Iza felt extremely ashamed of herself. “Iza, think of all that you would _lose_.”

“As if I’ve never thought—”

“ _Enough_ ,” Obi-Wan’s command was harsh in her ear and he seemed to struggle to keep his anger at bay. Iza could feel the warm fluctuations in her chest like they were her own and it only served to make her feel even guiltier. “Nobody is leaving the damn Order, Iza. We will manage. You must trust us.”

“I _do_ ,” she gave a frustrated huff and shut her eyes against the looks they were giving her. “It’s _me_ I don’t trust.”

“Why?” Anakin’s touch was gentle when he ran his hand down the side of her face. “What are you worried about?”

“How do I behave like nothing has changed between us? How do I fake normalcy?”

“You have never had a problem when it comes to Catcher,”

“My Master knew of my attachment. That’s the only reason it went ignored.”

“You had the rest of us fooled.” Smiling when she opened her eyes again, Anakin dropped a kiss to the bridge of her nose. “You’re selling yourself short, sweetness. You can conceal what you don’t want others to see better than you believe. Just… think about what you told me.”

“That’s _different_ , Anakin.”

“How?”

“I am not ashamed of the way I feel for you. For either of you. I don’t find myself _wanting_ to hide it. If anything—it feels more shameful to tuck it away than to show it off.” That frustrated look crept onto her features again and she leaned back into Obi-Wan when he tucked himself closer. “It’s so bad that it’s pissing Catch off. He’s trying so hard to adjust to it but I think I’m making it difficult for him.”

“I told you I would help you with that, darling.”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” reaching up, she pressed her knuckles to his lips and shook her head.

“I already know.” Anakin gave a soft laugh and shot her a look when Iza stared at him. “What? Did you think you could fib to me? The only way you would’ve known that he was _that_ upset last night was if there was a bond pulling you to him. Besides,” propping himself up on an arm, the younger Jedi lightly tapped the end of her nose with a finger. “You gave yourself away when you told me you’d tried to bond him before.”

“Neither of you can let him know that you know.” Looking between the two men, Iza pressed her lips together tight. “I told him that it would be a _secret_.”

“And I told _you_ that it would remain a secret. Darling,” running his hand along her side, Obi-Wan skimmed it under the hem of her shirt and let his fingers stroke soothingly over the soft skin of her belly. “You _must_ stop panicking. Trust in us.”

“Master,” Anakin frowned as he studied Iza’s face. “I think we’re overlooking something important.”

“And what would that be, Anakin?”

“Her trust has been… shattered.” Leaning over, Anakin kissed Iza’s forehead and rested his head to hers for a few moments. “I think she has every right to be wary right now.”

“But we did not—”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” blue eyes lifted to level with those of the elder Jedi, intense and almost cold. “You know better.”

The older man looked guilty for a moment before he sighed and kissed the brunette’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, darling. Perhaps I should’ve given that more thought.”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to talk about _any_ of it.” Shaking her head, Iza contemplated whether she wanted to get up from the bed or not. Shaking them both loose wasn’t going to be easy, but it was doable. Then again, they might not take kindly to another abrupt exit. “I don’t want to _talk_ anymore.”

“Darling, I still don’t think—”

“Then _don’t_ ,” turning her head to look at him pleadingly, the younger Jedi reached up and brushed her fingers beneath his chin. “ _Don’t_ think, Obi-Wan. You said you wanted to behave the way we do— _do it_. Be stupid and reckless with us.”

“ _Iza_ ,” the hand beneath her shirt came up to grasp her beneath the jaw so he could hold her gaze and he did his best to ignore the way she squirmed against him. _Little nymph_. “I don’t believe that now is the right time for this.”

“Then when? _When_ , Obi-Wan?” She tugged at his beard lightly and pouted, leaning into him even more. “When we’re back at the Temple and can’t find time? When we’re all battle worn and filthy and should be taking care of ourselves? _When?_ ”

“When you are not so desperate to smother your pain, my darling girl,” He hated that he had to say it, especially when she begged so beautifully like that. “I do not wish to be an outlet. I said this last night.”

“I am not _using_ you, Obi-Wan!” Iza brushed off Anakin’s attempts to soothe her sudden frustrated fidgeting, keeping her eyes locked on the elder of the two men. “It’s unfair how you just assume things of me like this. You’re so sweet when you want to be, so good and gentle. But you’re also cold and cruel and _awful._ You’re so _mean_. You are _so damn_ _m_ —”

 _Sweet **Maker**_ , had she shivered when he kissed her? Obi-Wan swore he’d felt her fucking _tremble_ against him when he’d taken hold of her jaw and pulled her in to shut her up. He definitely heard the whimper and felt the way she dragged her nails down his chest at such an awkward angle. Perhaps she was right; perhaps it was unfair of him to simply assume she wanted to drown her sorrows in sex. But it was unfair of _her_ to assume he only wanted to refrain out of cruelty. He took his role in the relationship seriously and he’d explained that to her a dozen times. Her well-being was _important_ to him. It was important when it came to playing these games she loved so much. Safe words and boundaries only went so far. It was also important that _he_ didn’t feel as though he was being taken advantage of for the sake of an escape. Anakin might not be so quick to object, but only because the boy had a need for similar vices.

The sharp way Iza gasped into his mouth drew him out of his thoughts and he wondered what he’d done to earn _that_ sort of response. Pulling back just enough to silently question her, he took note of how close Anakin had moved in and where the younger Jedi’s fingers were moving along the brunette’s body. _Oh_ —all right then. He supposed now was as good a time as any to introduce their little lover to what she wanted. Especially if Anakin was going to just butt his way in and get her even more worked up.

“Breathe,” Anakin’s chuckle was muffled against the side of Iza’s neck as his fingertips danced lightly over the soft strip of skin below her navel. “You’ll have no fun if you pass out, sweetness.”

“I don’t know Anakin,” Obi-Wan dropped his mouth to one of Iza’s shoulders, gently biting as he grinned at her teasingly. “She seems to have a fondness for that sort of thing.”

“I’ve noticed.” Pulling back with a hum, the younger of the two swept his fingers lower only to bring them back up and grin when Iza nearly shouted at him for it. “I’ve also noticed how overwhelmed she gets when _both_ of us are around, and if we’re not careful—”

“If this is your way of telling me not to _be a bastard_ ,” picking his head up from where he’d been happily leaving a mark on the brunette’s skin, Obi-Wan pursed his lips in annoyance. “I will refrain. It’s best if we’re careful with her the first time anyhow.”

“I’m right here,” Iza said finally, sounding breathless. “You needn’t treat me like glass.”

“We’ve no intention of doing that, darling,” shooting her a wicked smile, Obi-Wan ran his knuckles down the side of her face. “But there will be extra boundaries.”

“That’s not _fair_.”

“Sweetness,” Anakin drew her attention with a laugh and grinned at her. “You are _not_ ready for both of us at our worst. You can hardly handle us one-on-one that way.”

Iza scoffed and shot him an offended look.

“Is that a _challenge_ , Skywalker?”

“It is _not_.” Obi-Wan fixed the two younger Jedi with a look of warning, focusing on Anakin for a long moment. “None of that. I know you and what sort of foul little tricks you’ll get up to. _Do not_ push her.”

“Come now, Master Obi-Wan,” Anakin’s smile was almost innocent— _almost_. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do,” there was a rather large **_but_** in there somewhere. “It is your horrible tendency to comply with her begging that I do not trust.”

“You’re one to talk,” Iza piped, shooting the elder Jedi a look. “You get so _hard_ when I beg for you.”

“But I show restraint.”

“You _broke_ the collar, Obi-Wan.” Smiling slowly, the brunette trailed a fingertip up along the underside of his chin and bit down on her bottom lip. “You thought I didn’t notice because you shoved it into your travel bag. But I saw. _I saw what you did to it_.”

Obi-Wan looked like he was trying hard not to let his features shift from their neutral stance. He blatantly ignored the wide-eyed stare he was getting from Anakin in favor of holding Iza’s gaze, eventually clearing his throat and giving a quick raise of his brows.

“Yes— _well_ ,” pressing his lips together briefly, he sucked his teeth. “It was a cheap—”

“ _Uh-uh_ ,” wagging her finger at him, Iza leaned over and nipped his chin. “I looked it up. That was a standard, _regulation_ collar. The leather should not have snapped like that, Obi-Wan.”

“You told me you didn’t hurt her,” Anakin had lifted himself up on his arms a little and was giving Obi-Wan a dark look, only to have the woman in the middle rest a restraining hand on his chest.

“And he was telling you the truth.” Iza had to give him a nudge to keep him from crawling over her to get to the older man. “ _Take it easy_. He likely weakened the leather with the Force, Anakin. I’m _teasing_ him.”

The softest of growls rumbled in the younger man’s chest and it likely would’ve gone unnoticed if Iza’s hand hadn’t been placed where it was. He tore his gaze away from Obi-Wan when the brunette nudged him again, frowning lightly.

“Don’t push.” He muttered, giving a tug to the waist of the loose pants she wore.

“Or what? What are you gonna do about it, Skywalker?”

Blue eyes shifted from Iza, to Obi-Wan, and then back to her before one of those wide smiles of his made its way across his lips.

“Shouldn’t you be worried about _both_ of us?”

“I’ve done nothing to him.”

“You _have_ , though.” The rough scratch of his beard against the side of her neck almost startled her, the tug of his teeth against her earlobe drawing a soft moan from her lips. “You’re a wicked brat, darling. Accusing me of such lechery.”

“Is it an accusation if it’s _true?_ ” Two different hands were on her torso; Obi-Wan had slipped his fingers beneath her shirt and Anakin had gone back to teasing the soft skin of her belly. She didn’t know what to do with her damn hands. She was so torn between dragging her fingers down each of their chests to give them a taste of their own damn medicine, and twisting them into their hair to pull until they went feral.

“Where is your proof?” Obi-Wan’s hot palm covered one of her breasts, thumb slowly tracing the edge of her nipple until it hardened into a peak he could gently pluck and pinch. “Are you sure _you’re_ not the one who trashed the collar, my dear?”

Iza squirmed and grit her teeth against a whine, trying her damnedest to keep her breathing relatively steady. It didn’t help any when the tips of Anakin’s fingers slipped beneath the band of her pants, making her hips twist as she dragged the heels of her feet across the surface of the bed.

“ _Look at you_ ,” the younger Jedi’s voice was a harsh rumble and Iza barely noticed him shifting around beside her, gasping sharply when his hot mouth found the swell of her hip. She flinched at the too-gentle press of his teeth against her flesh and let out a strangled sound when a second mouth latched onto the nipple Obi-Wan had been toying with.

“ _Fuck_ ,” the back of her hand flew to her mouth to cover it, teeth sinking deep into her knuckles as she watched the older Jedi with wide eyes. Her free hand threaded deep into his hair, nails dragging along his scalp in silent apology and a plea for him to forgive her foul tongue. She got a soft hum of a laugh in return and watched him raise an eyebrow; she could swear the bastard was smiling around the soft mound of flesh in his mouth. There was little time to dwell on how fucking _hot_ that wicked look in his eye was as the sudden tug of fabric being pulled down her hips brought her attention back to Anakin. _Force_ —how was she supposed to concentrate on both of them and their actions?

The hard clamp of teeth that came down against one of her thighs made Iza yelp against the fingers in her mouth and give a vicious tug to Obi-Wan’s hair, resulting in a hiss from the older Jedi. He picked his head up from the nipple he was teasing to twist and give Anakin a look, watching the younger man shoot him an innocent stare in return.

“ _Be gentle_ , Anakin,” he scolded, shaking his head with a huff. “Do you want to leave marks like before?”

“It’s okay,” Iza breathed, sounding shaky. Looking at Anakin over the top of Obi-Wan’s head, she let out a tiny laugh. “ _Genet, di’kut_.”

Anakin wrinkled his nose at her and gently scraped the edges of his teeth against her skin with a growl.

“ _Mean_.” He murmured, nudging her thighs apart to trail kisses along the inside of one while she shivered. “I don’t think you even know what that word means.”

“Would you prefer _cyar'ika?_ ”

Anakin paused, looking like he was trying to recall what the word meant before raising his head again to look at her.

“ _You_ don’t know what it means, do you?” Iza grinned and reached over Obi-Wan to lightly tap the end of Anakin’s nose.

“Refresh my memory,” resting his cheek against her leg, he ignored the look he was getting from the older man between them and smirked up at her.

“ _Beloved_.” Giving a tiny shrug, she turned her hand up and let out a soft sound when Obi-Wan’s lips began peppering kisses over her chest, drawing her attention to him. “Are you wanting a Mando’a pet name as well or are you trying to make me remember the other definitions?”

“Neither, darling,” those damn perfect teeth of his dragged gently over one of her nipples before his tongue followed in a slow circle. “I’m just enjoying _you_.”

“By all means,” returning her fingers to his hair, Iza whimpered quietly when he drew the aching tip into his mouth and sucked greedily. The addition of Anakin’s teeth once again sinking into the sensitive skin of her inner thigh made her arch up and stifle another vulgar curse, watching as Obi-Wan’s eyes flicked up again. “Please don’t— _please don’t_. I can’t help it.”

“And just what is it you’re afraid I’ll do, darling?” He asked, shifting to switch to her other breast. “I’ve no intentions of punishing you for your filthy mouth.”

“Promise?”

His expression softened at her tone and the elder Jedi moved up to press a gentle kiss to her lips, hissing quietly when she inadvertently bit his bottom lip in response to Anakin continuing to nip his way between her legs.

“I promise, darling,” offering a gentle smile, he reached down and snatched a good handful of Anakin’s caramel colored locks, making the younger man grunt and huff. “ _You_ , however,”

“I’m being gentle!” Swatting at Obi-Wan’s hand as his cheeks started to turn a delicate shade of pink, Anakin propped himself on his elbows and raised a brow at Iza. “Sweetness?”

“It’s fine. He’s fine.” Sliding her hand along Obi-Wan’s arm, she lightly pried his fingers away from Anakin’s hair and shot him a look. “There’s no need for that.”

“We’re supposed to be—”

“ _Master_ ,” Iza ran the nails of her free hand through Obi-Wan’s beard and watched the way his eyes seemed to brighten with that sinister glimmer that signaled his personality switch. Smiling up at him sweetly, she tapped the pad of a finger against his bottom lip and giggled when he nipped it.

“What have I said?” His voice was a low growl and he looked like he might crawl over her and give her a physical reminder of his warning.

“About what?”

“ _Jedi Tacor_ ,”

“ _Master Kenobi_ ,” Iza knew she was asking for it. _Begging_ for it, really. So when his hand came up and grasped her chin in a manner that was none-too-gentle and he moved up beside her, turning her head to bite the shell of her ear, the brunette couldn’t stop the way she gasped and wriggled on the bed.

“You,” he was practically snarling in her ear as his thumb and forefinger slid down her jaw to the sides of her throat. “Were warned about this,”

“I was?” _Oh stars_ , she could feel Anakin _breathing_ on her and it was making this so much worse. “I don’t remember,”

“Don’t you, darling?” Obi-Wan skimmed his fingers to the spot on her neck where he’d bitten previously bitten down so viciously he’d broken the skin. The marks weren’t there, but the way he traced over the tender area was enough of a reminder for her.

Iza opened her mouth to say something only to have Anakin press one of those hot, biting kisses to the spot below her navel and startle her enough to make her shout and cover her mouth with a hand. Green eyes never left the elder Jedi’s blue ones however, even as she breathed shakily through her nose and squeezed her legs against the younger man’s broad shoulders. She wasn’t sure if she liked the smile on Obi-Wan’s lips, or the way he kept gazing at her with that predatory stare of his. But _man_ —she sure as shit knew she’d never been so turned on in her life. Another bite to her hip from the younger Jedi made her whimper helplessly and the smile on Obi-Wan’s face grew wider and more sinister.

“ _Darling_ ,” he drawled, returning his fingers to one of her nipples to give it a hard pinch. “Have you come to regret your decision?”

“ _No_.” Such a stupid girl she was, really. Maybe Anakin had been right to say that she couldn’t take them both at their worst. _Hell_ —she hadn’t even had them at their worst, according to them. Keeping her gaze locked on his, she leaned up and gave his bottom lip a tiny graze of her teeth. “I regret nothing— _Master_.”

She was given absolutely no warning at all as she was suddenly flipped onto her belly—much to Anakin’s dismay—and hauled across his lap for a spanking similar to the one he’d given her before. This one, however, felt just a _tad_ more brutal. It sounded like it as well as the hard clap of Obi-Wan’s palm striking her ass rang out into the room and made her bury her face in the bed to muffle the hollers that followed. Much like before, the pain quickly gave way to one of the most drugging sensations of pleasure she’d ever experienced; it left her warm, buzzy and delightfully achy. Instead of soothing the marks when he was through, the older man tucked his fingers between her thighs and gave a soft growl of satisfaction when she shuddered hard at the touch and covered her head with her arms to further muffle her yelling.

“ _Master Obi-Wan_ ,” Anakin sounded startled, and a bit put out as well.

“She’s all right,” the elder Jedi’s voice was rough as he moved his fingers in slow passes against Iza’s slick flesh, giving a jerk of his head towards the trembling mess of a woman on his lap. “You may see for yourself.”

Looking like he didn’t quite believe the other man, Anakin quickly moved to gather Iza’s upper half into his lap, brushing the hair out of her face and frowning lightly at how dilated her eyes had become.

“Look what you’ve done to her,” the younger of the two muttered, hissing quietly when Iza dug her nails into his legs and buried her face against the tops of his thighs to stifle another shaky cry.

“Darling,” Obi-Wan paused, eliciting a shout of protest from the brunette. “Check in with me, please.”

“ _CIN_.” She sounded like she might throw a tantrum if he didn’t continue.

Waving a hand at Anakin, he returned to the slow passes of his fingers, focusing on her clit until she arched her hips and whimpered, giving her feet a tiny kick.

“ _Ow_ , Iza!” Anakin slid his hands beneath her shoulders and pulled her up, making a face when she brought a mouthful of his sleeping trousers with her. “Sweetness— _don’t bite_.”

He probably should’ve prepared himself for the way she lunged at him and threw her arms around his shoulders and for the vicious way she crushed her lips against his, but Anakin found himself startled as hell by the move. Especially when she dragged him down to the bed with a strength he hadn’t known she possessed. She seemed to be taking a page out of his book with the way she dominated his mouth with her tongue, and the soft, desperate sounds coming from her throat set his head spinning. _What the hell had Obi-Wan unleashed?_ The hard drag of her nails against his skin made him growl and he looked past her shoulder to find that the older Jedi had begun working his fingers in and out of her, a thoughtful expression on his face as he watched the two. What an _asshole_. What an instigative fucking asshole.

“ _Ani,_ ” she was pulling on him again, her mouth working its way down his jaw and neck. The first pass of her hand against the erection straining the front of the loose-fitting pants he wore had him groaning; the second made him shift around so he was resting beneath her, knees bracketing her shoulders.

“What do you want, sweetness?” His fingertips were gentle as he stroked them under her chin and lifted her head so she’d look at him. He knew he didn’t need to ask, but he liked hearing her say it.

Dipping her head enough to capture the tips of his fingers between her lips, Iza gave a soft suck and whined at him, squeezing him through his pants. Smiling, Anakin shook his head.

“ _Say it_.”

“ ** _Anakin_** _,_ ” pouting against his fingertips, she suddenly went wide eyed and ducked her head and squealed, eliciting a chuckle from the man behind her.

“Sorry darling,” Obi-Wan didn’t sound sorry at all as he slowed his pace a bit and gave featherlight rubs to her clit. “Do continue.”

“I’m hesitant to let you put your mouth on me, sweetness,” Anakin couldn’t help the way he laughed as he ran his fingers into her hair and watched her look up at him. “With the way the bastard keeps making you twitch like that, I worry about those teeth of yours.”

“I can stop,” Obi-Wan offered, waiting for the protest he knew he was going to get from the younger woman. He wasn’t disappointed.

“ _I’m so **close**_ ,” she whined, looking absolutely torn.

“All the more reason to stop.”

“ _Master—_ ”

A hard, heavy-handed swat to her already aching asscheek was his response and Iza dropped her head against Anakin’s lap with a soft wail. At first, it was difficult for either of them to discern whether or not it was a cry of pleasure or pain, but the muffled string of curse words and tiny frustrated kick of her feet was confirmation enough that she’d enjoyed it.

“ _Please?_ ” She was grasping at the younger Jedi’s legs now, looking back at Obi-Wan through the hair that just didn’t want to stay out of her eyes. “I’ll be good. I won’t swear anymore. I’ll give you anything. _Just let me come_.”

“No, darling,” damp fingers trailed along the shivering insides of her thighs as he leaned over and gently nipped the reddening marks along her backside. “You will wait.”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” Force, she sounded so desperate.

“You’re being greedy, darling,” he might as well have been wagging his fucking finger at her. “You were pleading with Anakin not two minutes ago. You cannot have both.”

“You’re so—” Another hard swat cut her off and she growled at him through her teeth, trying not to dig her nails any further into Anakin’s thighs if she could help it.

“This is the game you chose to play, my dear.” Obi-Wan smiled too damn casually for her liking. “I warned you not to push me.”

Looking up at Anakin, Iza poked her bottom lip out and _whimpered_. Honestly, she thought maybe she’d get a kinder response out of him than just a soft smile and a gentle caress of his fingers beneath her chin before he shook his head and bowed to kiss her forehead.

“No, sweetness,” he said softly, palm smoothing down against her throat. “I’m not in charge.”

Iza nipped his wrist in frustration, hanging her head as much as she could and jerking at the light tap that was given to her ass.

“He listens better than you,” Obi-Wan chuckled, skimming his palm over the prints he’d left behind on her skin. “You’ll get no help from him.”

She wanted to complain. She was on the verge of throwing a big, fat hissy fit. Especially since Obi-Wan’s hand kept wandering _so close_ to where she ached the most. It would be so easy for him to just sink his fingers deep into her and get her off; she could still feel how close to the edge she was and she’d been holding onto it in the hopes that one of them might give in to her. No such luck.

“You’re spoiled, darling,” the elder Jedi’s soft, accented voice was gentle as he skipped over her sex completely and returned to stroking the insides of her thighs. “You must learn to wait.”

“I’ve _been_ waiting,” she growled out against the fabric of Anakin’s pants, hating how pissed off she was getting. This was supposed to be _fun_. But he was right; she was so damn spoiled by Catcher—who gave her whatever she wanted, when she wanted it—that she’d come to expect to get her way just because she’d begged for it the right way.

“Obi-Wan,”

“ _No,_ Anakin,” the soft tone became firm in an instant.

“She’s going to call it,” the younger man looked over at the other, frowning slightly as he combed his fingers through Iza’s hair. “She’ll—”

“That’s her decision to make.”

“You could at least stop touching her,” waving his free hand at Obi-Wan, Anakin’s frown deepened. “There’s no reason to torment her until she throws in the towel.”

“It’s part of the game, Anakin,” Obi-Wan moved his touch further down Iza’s thigh regardless, jerking when she kicked her feet and slapped her hand against the bed. “ _Iza_ ,”

“I don’t want to play,” rolling onto her back to glare at both of them, she started to yank her shirt back into place and stopped when Anakin reached for her. “ _I don’t want to **play**!_”

“What do you want, sweetness?” He blatantly ignored the look he was getting from Obi-Wan as he gathered Iza into his lap and kissed the side of her head. “What do you want?”

“I just wanted _you_.” Waving her hands between them, she scowled hard enough to make her face turn pink. “I _know_ I pushed. _I know_. But I just…”

“Darling,” shifting closer, Obi-Wan reached out and gently pinched her chin to turn her face towards his. “What is it?”

“It’s so much,” leaning back against Anakin, she shut her eyes. “I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know the rules. I can’t—”

“Hey,” Anakin nuzzled at the side of her head and dropped another kiss there. “If you want to slow down, we’ll slow down.”

“I just…” her fingers curled around Obi-Wan’s when he took her hand, squeezing perhaps a little too tight. “Is there a way to do this _softly?_ ”

Both men looked at each other in surprise before looking back at her. Bringing her knuckles to his lips, the elder Jedi kissed them and smiled when she shifted her gaze to his.

“Is that what you want?”

“Can we do it that way?” Gesturing between them again, Iza looked dreadfully concerned. “Can it work that way in threes?”

“Are you asking if _making love_ can work this way?” Obi-Wan seemed to be trying hard not to smile at her. “Because it can, darling. But you must promise to behave as gently as we do.”

“I promise,” leaning over to rest her forehead to his, Iza heaved a sigh. “Please just swear you won’t do that again.”

“Do what, my dear?”

“I believe she doesn’t want you to deny her again, Master,” Anakin snickered, resting his chin on Iza’s shoulder. “I have to agree with her. That was quite cruel of you.”

Tutting softly, Obi-Wan rolled his eyes lightly and gave the end of Iza’s nose a kiss.

“Darling, you knew it was a game,” _okay_ —maybe he’d taken it a little far. But he’d fairly warned her about pushing him. He could not be held responsible for the monstrous things he did as long as they were not terribly harmful. “You had just as much control over the situation as I did.”

“It’s hard to remember sometimes,” reaching to run her fingers along his jaw, she shrugged. “You were so willing to let me beg before…”

“Perhaps I was a bit of a bastard,” he smiled and kissed the spot between her eyes. “But you _are_ terribly spoiled, my dear. And so very greedy.”

“You love me,” she whispered, nuzzling her nose against his and getting a soft smile and a hum in return.

“ _I do_.”

“You fool no one pretending that you _care_ about how spoiled she is, Obi-Wan,” Anakin piped, drawing the attention of the two. He grinned when his Master shot him a dirty look and kissed Iza’s ear. “You enjoy her appetite as much as I do.”

“Hush, you,” turning her head, Iza nipped at his jaw and kissed his cheek when he gave her an annoyed look. “Let him have his fun.”

“Only if you tell me you love me too.” He smiled at her fondly and was rewarded with a soft laugh and another sweet kiss pressed to his cheek.

“I love you, _cyar'ika._ ”

“Now,” Obi-Wan drew the attention of both of the younger Jedi back to him. “Shall we get started, darling?”


	15. Reckless Behavior

If someone had told her that she’d end up in bed with Anakin and Obi-Wan at the same time during this mission, Iza likely would’ve laughed in their face. She would’ve laughed at the sheer idea of being anywhere _near_ them like this, in all honesty. But as she lay sprawled across the center of the bed trading ridiculously hot kisses back and forth between the two while trying to keep up with whose hands were where and what _her_ hands were doing, the brunette almost felt like _laughing_ at herself _._ She was so damn _high_ on the two of them, it was ridiculous. Part of her wondered if Obi-Wan had manipulated something along their bond to up the ante a little bit, but that thought went straight out the window when she realized that Anakin was causing her head to float and spin just as strongly. They shared no direct bond; she wished they could. She wished to the stars that she could reach out to him and twist her Force fingers in his signature to grasp hold and—

“ _Darling_ ,” Obi-Wan’s throaty growl sent a shiver down the back of her neck, the sensation doubled by the brush of his facial hair against her ear. “Reach— _carefully_.”

She turned to look at him with uncertainty in her glassy eyes, lightly drawing her bottom lip into her mouth to bite down on it. Hadn’t he warned them not to do this? He’d said it was too dangerous; their hearts held too much pain for such a bond.

“Anakin,” watching the younger Jedi look up from where he’d been gently marking up a spot below one of Iza’s breasts, Obi-Wan waved him closer and nudged him towards the brunette. “Kiss her,”

Anakin seemed mildly confused by the order, but he turned to look down at Iza anyway and smiled. Brushing his fingers over her flushed cheek, he leaned in and sealed his lips to hers in a soft, undemanding kiss.

“ _Carefully, darling_ ,”

Bringing her hands up to the sides of Anakin’s face, she brushed his hair back and deepened the kiss a fraction; enough to make him groan and press his chest against hers. As soon as she began to feel the steady rhythm of his heart beating alongside hers, she took a deep breath and slowly reached out into the Force to find him. It was surprisingly easy to feel him out this time—perhaps because her head wasn’t so clouded by the need to reach orgasm this time around—and with as gentle as a touch that she could manage she wrapped him in the warmth of her signature and felt him tense above her. He sucked in a sharp breath, stealing the air from her lungs in the process, and pressed his chest harder into hers with a soft growl. His hands grasped the bedsheets and Iza felt something _hot_ starting to trickle along the guide she’d given him.

“Slowly, Anakin,” Obi-Wan murmured from somewhere in the fog, nearly causing Iza to lose her concentration, “Do not rush.”

The invasive warmth slowed dramatically but Iza could still feel it sliding further down the offered link until it met the end where it could join to hers and when they snapped together, both Jedi let out similar surprised shouts. The bruising press of Anakin’s forehead to hers made Iza growl softly and push back, the hands she had on his face combing into his long hair to give a gentle tug. _Intense_ ; the sensation was always so damn intense. But there was none of the strange darkness or coldness like before. Only the usual liquid fire and vicious tingling that came along with a new link. _Force_ —she wondered how blasphemous this was. A bond was only truly meant to be shared between Master and Apprentice—and it certainly was not meant to be shared like _this_. Whimpering into his mouth when he began to kiss her again, Iza couldn’t stop the soft little gasps that came with each brush of his fingers down her torso and she swore she heard him say something before she felt him smiling against her lips.

“I thought this wasn’t allowed?” Pulling back to look over at Obi-Wan, who looked on with mild amusement, Anakin grunted at the teeth that tugged at his earlobe. “ _Iza_ ,”

“She was pining,” dropping kisses along Iza’s shoulder, the older man gave them both a look. “Be mindful of yourselves or I’ll sever it, understood?”

“Can you do that?” Hissing at yet another tug to his ear, Anakin shot the brunette a look. “ _Sweetness_ , give me a minute.”

“No,” leaning up, Iza pulled him in for a stupidly soft kiss and reached a blind hand out to run it down Obi-Wan’s chest, smiling some when she felt the low rumble he gave in response. “ _Now_ ,”

“What did we say?” Obi-Wan murmured, watching her turn to look at him.

Iza sighed impatiently and tried not to frown. She knew she wasn’t supposed to rush. She’d _promised_ not to rush. But she also hadn’t known she’d be allowed to bond with Anakin, and she couldn’t help that it’d made her even antsier than before.

“Don’t pout,” kissing her forehead, the older Jedi brushed his fingers along her belly and hummed quietly at the way she twisted her hips in response. “Give yourself a moment, darling. _Focus_.”

She didn’t want to. Everything had been so _good_ before and she didn’t want to stop to center herself just because of the new link. Somewhere in the back of her head, she knew he had her best interests at heart. Housing three separate bonds— _four_ , if she counted the one with Master Windu—was a lot.

“Don’t make her suffer,” Iza wasn’t sure what was more startling: the sound of Anakin’s voice in her ear or the feel of him pushing Obi-Wan’s hand further down her belly to tuck the other man’s fingers between her thighs. She thought she heard Obi-Wan protest, but the sound got lost in the heavy moan she let out when she realized Anakin was _manipulating_ the other Jedi’s touch.

“Oh— _fuc_ — _Force!_ ”

 _Someone’s_ mouth was on her neck. Anakin’s. It had to be. She could feel the soft brush of facial hair somewhere low on her torso. There’d been a warm gust of breath against her skin when she’d almost let the curse slip, too. That was _definitely_ Obi-Wan.

“Easy, darling,” _goodness_ , those teeth were sharp. He could give Anakin a run for his money with the sting they left behind on his way down. “It’s just me.”

“What?” Picking her head up, she saw that it was—indeed— _just_ him and his wicked fingers. Then where the _hell_ was the other touch coming from? Both of Anakin’s hands appeared to be busy with her breasts—something she hadn’t even noticed—but she _distinctly_ felt—

“ _Anakin_ ,” Obi-Wan’s tone was full of gentle warning that made the younger man huff against the mark he was leaving on Iza’s neck.

“Stop being such a spoilsport and give her what she wants,” jerking his head, Anakin narrowed his eyes a little. “I’m not doing anything _you’ve_ never done before.”

“You’re going to overwhelm her,”

“And _you’re_ going to piss her off again,”

“ _Please,_ ” Iza writhed on the bed beneath them almost helplessly, nudging her hips up against Obi-Wan’s fingers as she dragged her nails down the back of Anakin’s neck. “ _Stop fucking **fighting**_.”

“Darling—”

“You’ve got better things to do with your damn mouth than comfort me, Obi-Wan,” picking her head up, the brunette fixed him with a hard look and watched his eyes widen in surprise. “I’m _tired_ of the arguing. _Tired_ of being caught in the middle. You two better work around each other or I’m revoking the _in_ _threes_ term.”

“Sweetness—”

“I don’t wanna hear it,” she muttered, blowing out a heavy breath. “You two get so damn distracted by bickering. It’s frustrating.”

“Our apologies, darling,” the kisses that were placed along the top of one thigh were soft enough to distract her from Anakin’s movement beside her. She vaguely noticed she was being lifted and propped back against his chest, but the majority of her attention was on Obi-Wan. “It’s not our intention to frustrate you.”

“I understand what you’re trying to accomplish, Obi-Wan,” Iza couldn’t help the soft sound she made as Anakin’s hands began molding her breasts, fingers pinching and lightly rolling the hard tips. “And it’s appreciated. But _darling—_ we have a system in place. _Your_ system. I trust you enough to know when we truly need to stop and now is not the time.”

“She has a point,”

“ _Quiet, Anakin_ ,” skimming her cheek against his affectionately, Iza kept her eyes focused on the elder Jedi and reached to run her fingers through his russet-colored hair. “Do we have an understanding, my love?”

Obi-Wan’s answer was a quick, rough drag of the flat of his tongue against her flesh and a tiny smirk in response to the way her hips jerked at the touch. She swore she heard something about her being _spoiled_ , but his complaint was drowned out by the harsh way Anakin growled in her ear. His hands abandoned her tits long enough to reach down and grasp the backs of her knees, lifting her legs to prop them against the tops of his thighs and hold them open for the other man. The angle felt a little obscene, but it also pressed her ass right up against the hard-on straining the front of his loose fitting pants. Giving a good pat to her hip, he smoothed his fingers back up to her chest and pressed his lips against her ear with another soft growl.

“Stay like that,” _Stars_ , his voice was rough.

“Yes _sir_ ,” she breathed back, earning a hum from the man between her thighs. Obi-Wan didn’t pull back, didn’t say anything, but those sweet blue eyes of his flickered with the familiar fire that warned her to mind her tongue if she wanted this to stay _gentle_. Right; she’d wanted _softness_. She couldn’t go around kicking beasts to life. Anakin seemed to be content to disregard most of the memo however, giving firm squeezes to her breasts and toying with her nipples until they started tingling from the stimulation. What really drove her nuts was the way he seemed to focus his gaze solely on the way the elder Jedi’s tongue worked her over. Iza could feel the deep snarls rumbling in his chest and the hard grind of his cock against her ass. _Sweet Maker_ , she couldn’t tell if it was possessiveness or just straight up arousal that spurred him on like that but she was not complaining in the slightest.

“Slower,” was he fucking _directing_ him now? The sudden delicate passes of Obi-Wan’s tongue over her clit confirmed that— _yes_ , he most definitely was. Iza didn’t know why that was so damn hot, or why it made her twist against him and let out a soft, needy cry; she also wasn’t going to complain about _that_ either. The brush of Anakin’s lips against her ear coincided with the gentle squeeze of his hand around her neck and made her gasp sharply, drawing a quiet chuckle out of him from somewhere deep in his chest. “How’s that feel, sweetness?”

 _Oh, **Force**._ She half expected Obi-Wan to pick his head up and scold him. What she got was the press of a single finger deep inside of her; then a second. He clearly had no intention of saying a damn thing to his partner.

“Good,” she was panting and every time her legs threatened to close, Anakin forced them back open with his knees. “ _So good_.”

“Obi-Wan,”

The other man picked his head up and suppressed a smirk at the way Iza hollered at him for it. Pressing his thumb to her clit to replace the loss of his tongue, he raised a silent eyebrow at Anakin. Neither man spoke for a good minute and it drove her fucking _nuts_. She _hated_ when they did that. She could feel them communicating along the Force but couldn’t read a single damn thing they were saying. Dropping her head back on Anakin’s shoulder with a whine, she growled at the graze of his teeth against her jaw and damn near shouted when Obi-Wan withdrew his fingers entirely.

“ _Take it easy_ ,” Anakin’s voice was a whisper in her ear, the touch of his cybernetic hand deceptively delicate as he stroked along the underside of her chin to keep her head tilted back. “Relax, sweetness. _Relax._ ”

Iza was about to snap at him when she felt the bed shifting, felt hands readjusting the way she was positioned on top of the younger man, and then the nudge and slow glide of a cock sliding into her. Picking her head up from Anakin’s shoulder with her mouth half open on a moan, the brunette was met halfway by a rough kiss that drugged her senses. Moving his hips in slow, measured lunges, Obi-Wan growled into her mouth and pressed his chest into hers with his knuckles braced on the bed. Behind her, Iza felt one of Anakin’s hands grasping the back of her neck to prop her up while he ducked his head and dragged his lips and teeth over the skin between her shoulders. She mewled when he bit a little too sharply and got a murmured apology against the spot, but no soothing pass of the tongue.

She had to turn away from the kiss when her breathing became too heavy, resting her head against Anakin’s when she realized he’d propped his chin on her shoulder once more. A shift in Obi-Wan’s weight had her cracking her lazy eyelids to watch as the older man pressed his forehead to his partner’s, eyes leveled and focused on his gaze until they both shared the same secret smile. _Fuck— **FUCK**_ , that was too much. The heavy heat pooling low in her belly spread all the way to her toes and made them curl, her back arching away from Anakin’s chest as she wrapped her arms around Obi-Wan and dragged her nails down his shoulders. She could hear him cussing in her ear as she tightened on him, her thighs shaking horribly against the strain Anakin put on them with his spread knees.

Still, he drove into her harder, drawing out her orgasm while Anakin whispered words of encouragement to both of them from behind her. She was going to pass out; she was going to fucking pass out and there was nothing she could do about it. Someone’s fingers had found her clit and were rubbing in quick little circles that made her want to scream from the sharp sensation. Her forehead knocked against Obi-Wan’s chin _hard_ when the second orgasm hit and she threw herself forward to cling to him, half sobbing into his neck and grasping at his sweaty back while he grunted and growled savagely in her ear. She whined when she felt him pull out and push her back, dazed eyes falling to watch him wrap his fingers around his cock and work it in short, hard strokes to finish himself off.

“ _No_ —” swallowing hard, she reached shaking fingers out and pushed against his belly, drawing from the Force to knock him back on the bed. Startled, he stared at her, chest heaving.

“ _Darling_ , that’s hardly—”

“Let me,” she tried to sit up and untangle her trembling legs from Anakin’s, whining as he slid hands along her thighs to help. When she’d been set on the bed, Iza crawled onto her knees over the other man and wasted no time pressing kisses to his belly, feeling it jump at the touch. “ _Let me_ ,”

He waved his hand at her, looking at Anakin over her shoulder as the younger man moved around on the bed. Pointing, he gave him a look.

“ _I know_ ,” the sound of fabric being tossed somewhere in the room was the only warning Iza had before the younger Jedi started readjusting the angle of her hips and rubbing the head of his cock along her slick flesh. “Sweetness, hold on a minute,”

Iza had already closed her fingers around the base of Obi-Wan’s cock and had every intention of wrapping her lips around the head when Anakin stopped her. Had he not brushed up on her like that, she probably would’ve shouted in protest. Giving an impatient wiggle of her hips, she looked back at him and scowled as much as she could.

“ _Come **on**_ ,”

“Don’t rush me,” he tapped his hand against an asscheek and made a face at her.

“ ** _Anakin_** _!_ ” Both of the older Jedi sounded fed up with his shit; _good_.

Steadying her hips, Anakin centered himself and sank deep with a low growl until he felt her shiver hard. Leaning over to brace a hand on the bed, he nipped the side of her neck and gave a quick, rough jerk of his hips.

“Go ahead, sweetness,” he was already panting in her ear, fingers coming up to tangle in her hair and give a gentle pull. “Don’t worry about teeth. _He likes that_.”

A delightful sort of chill raced up her spine and she had half a mind to ask just how the fuck he knew that. _Honestly_ —she didn’t need to ask. She saw the looks, felt the energy that surrounded them, she’d caught on to the tiny gestures of affection between them— _she knew_.

“ _Darling_ ,” Impatience seemed to be the theme of the moment. Leaning in, Iza wrapped her lips around the head of Obi-Wan’s cock and gave him a slow, barely there suck, pulling back before he could get used to the sensation. Letting out a quiet snicker when she heard him stifle a rather vulgar curse, she flicked her gaze up to meet his and lurched forward when Anakin suddenly drove his hips into her, giving a little twist to screw himself deep.

“ _Don’t stop_ ,” he warned her, the hand in her hair tugging roughly as he pressed his chest flat against her back.

“I didn’t—” she was cut off by another hard thrust, inadvertently squeezing her hand around Obi-Wan hard enough to make him growl and push his hips up from the bed. _Okay_ —she got it. She heard them both loud and clear.

“Anakin,” try as he might to sound stern, the arousal in Obi-Wan’s voice was just too damn thick for him to sound anything but throaty and a little shaky. “Do be mindful of yourself.”

“ _Fuck off, Master_.”

Obi-Wan’s tight chuckle turned into a choked groan when the Jedi resting between his knees wrapped her mouth around the head of his cock and gave a greedy, attention seeking suck. His hips jerked up out of instinct, cramming more of himself into her mouth. Iza whimpered, but didn’t object as she slowly slid further along his cock.

“Oh… my… _Force_ ,” he picked his head up and stared. “She…”

“ _I **know**_.” Anakin _tried_ to be careful about the way he worked himself in and out of the brunette, but she was just so damn hot and inviting that he couldn’t stop himself from driving all the way to the hilt with each thrust of his hips. _She_ didn’t seem to mind, but he had a feeling that would change once he started hitting all of the good spots. “That foul mouth of hers is beneficial.”

Iza almost snorted, wanting very much to shake her head at him. But there was no point. Besides, she was enjoying herself and didn’t want to stop licking every delicious inch of Obi-Wan. With a sigh, she took him deep and sucked him at a slow, leisurely pace until the older Jedi began to fuck her mouth with slow lunges of his hips.

Stuck somewhere between placated and overwhelmingly aroused, Obi-Wan settled in with groans and whispered encouragement, his fingers tangled deep in the thick silk of Iza’s hair. Above them, Anakin continued to let out his feral snarls while he watched, occasionally dropping his head to leave harsh imprints of his teeth in Iza’s skin. Once or twice, she’d whimpered around the column of flesh in her mouth and tried to twist away, only to have him press soft kisses to the mark and whisper apologies in her ear. He’d give soft commands as well, encouraging her to give gentle drags of her teeth against the wickedly sensitive spot below the head or let the tip of her tongue flirt with the eyelet opening until the older man’s hips started to shake.

Iza had never known Obi-Wan’s vocabulary was so damn colorful until Anakin encouraged her to edge him. She’d give soft pulls of her lips while he was entirely in her mouth, then pull up to the head and suck greedily until he shouted and said things that were _very_ unbecoming of a Jedi. The filthy things he called her were slowly beginning to become her _favorite_ and she did all she could to earn them, going so far as to pull back completely and abandon him to the cool air when she _knew_ he was just about to come.

“You wicked little _bitch_ ,” his head came up from the bed for the umpteenth time, blue eyes blazing with that dangerous fire she was supposed to be avoiding.

“ _Master_ ,” Anakin sounded like he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to laugh or applaud him for his use of the foul term.

“ _You be quiet!_ ”

“Obi-Wan,” Iza’s soft voice drew his attention back to her and he just about snarled at her through clenched teeth. Tilting her head, the brunette press-rubbed the flat of her tongue against the sweet spot below the swollen crown of his cock in slow swirls and watched him pound a fist against the mattress. His back arched and his hips shot up with a beastly sound he had no chance of smothering and Iza did her best to get him back into her mouth before he completely lost it. She sucked in sweet, soft little pulls until his thighs began to shake and the growling turned into heavy whimpers. His hands were far from gentle when he reached to gather her up and drag her up over his chest, making Anakin cuss as she was pulled out from under him. Once the other two were comfortable once again, the younger Jedi was quick to snag Iza by the hips and slam himself home to resume the ruthless thrusts of his pelvis.

Beneath her, Obi-Wan peppered Iza’s face with soft kisses, one hand gently cradling her throat and giving those little squeezes she loved so much. His teeth scraped the curve of her jaw, up to her ear where he panted and pressed smiling lips to the shell.

“I feel you getting closer, darling,” he whispered, his free hand sliding down between her thighs and delving his fingers into the slick flesh of her sex, using that alternating pressure—light on the top, friction on the sides, hard circles above. In a span of a heartbeat, her body drew taut. Her clit swelled, hardened. She was going to fucking lose it. “Go on, give him what he wants.”

Anakin’s sweat-slick chest came down against her back again, his mouth pressing against the side of her neck.

“ _Iza_ ,” **_Fuck_** _—_ the sound of his voice alone was almost enough to set her off. “Reach for me,”

Oh— _she did_. He’d barely gotten the command out before she was feeling her way along the link to find him, letting out a lung-burning cry that coincided with the harsh shout he gave at the same time as his body rocked into hers one final time. Iza collapsed first, crashing down on top of Obi-Wan with a hard sob as her entire body trembled and seized with Anakin still buried inside of her. The younger Jedi managed to keep himself upright for a little longer, heaving and sputtering as he tried to catch his breath before he ultimately had to roll off and drop beside them, practically wheezing into the bedspread. For a long while, only the sounds of whimpers and heavy breathing were heard in the room while the trio attempted to come down.

Iza lost track of the kisses that were traded and who they were traded with. Her head was so full of fog and stars that she could hardly keep herself conscious. The firm grasp of fingers against her jaw drew her out of her stupor long enough for her to level dilated green eyes to concerned blue ones and she smiled like an idiot up at Anakin before pulling him in for a kiss.

“Darling,” Obi-Wan sounded tired, but amused. “Check in, please.”

What the hell was she supposed to say? She was awake. Wasn’t that enough?

“ _Iza,_ ” Anakin pursed his lips in a soft frown.

“Tired,” and oddly, still _very_ horny. That couldn’t be right. After a moment or two, she groaned and rubbed a hand over her face. “ _Ugh_ Catch…”

The two men exchanged a look and then glanced back at her.

“Did you close your link?” Obi-Wan asked, raising an eyebrow. She didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at him. Heaving a sigh, the older Jedi shook his head a little. “Is he—”

“He’s going to make it hard for me to walk is what he’s going to do,” she muttered, trying to sit up. “ _Fuck_ , I don’t know if I can go again.”

Laying restraining hands against her shoulders, Anakin’s frown deepened before he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

“He can take care of it himself, Iza,”

“That’s not _fair_ , Anakin,” giving him a look, she tried to brush him off and whined when Obi-Wan’s arms went around her waist instead. “You can’t keep me here.”

“Darling, listen to me,” resting his head against hers, the elder Jedi sighed heavily. “I understand wanting to keep things even between all of us. But you will exhaust yourself if you continue this. Catcher will be _fine_.”

“He just had to listen to me fuck both of you,” _man_ —she was slurring, wasn’t she? “I’m sure he just felt everything I felt, too. It’s unfair to leave him like that.”

“You’re on the verge of passing out,” Obi-Wan’s voice was taking on that stern tone and she almost rolled her eyes. “I doubt you could make it across the room to leave.”

“Obi-Wan,” tilting her head back to look at him, she pouted hard and received a kiss to the side of her head. “You promised.”

“I know very well what I promised you, my dear,” his thumbs stroked the soft surface of her belly while he sighed again. “I do not want you to think I’m being selfish.”

“Let me love him too,”

“Don’t do that, Iza,” Anakin’s tone was hard to read. “Nobody is stopping you from that. You need to listen to us—listen to your _body_. If you don’t feel like you can handle more, then don’t force it.”

“But—”

“No _buts_ sweetness. I’m sure Catcher would agree if he saw the state you’re in now.”

Iza felt the very childish need to throw a tantrum starting to well up in her chest. She didn’t like the idea of the two of them telling her that she couldn’t help Catcher get off. Despite what Obi-Wan said, it felt _very_ selfish of them. Turning her eyes elsewhere, she narrowed them in an attempt to stave off the tears that wanted to well up in them and let out an annoyed huff.

“Please don’t,” Obi-Wan said softly, nuzzling at the side of her head. “Do not be angry with us, darling.”

She ignored him, folding her arms over her chest as she bunched her shoulders and clenched her jaw. She knew full well how immature she was being for a woman of her age, but they’d made an agreement and they weren’t upholding their end of the bargain. Catcher was supposed to be top priority. They’d both agreed to the terms. They couldn’t back out of that just because she was a _little_ tired.

“Really?” She couldn’t tell if Anakin was mad or hurt but she wasn’t going to look at him to check. “ _Really_ , Iza?”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan tried to be gentle, watching as the younger Jedi got up from the bed to grab his pants off of the floor.

“If it’s what she wants,” dragging the loose pants on over his hips, the taller man scowled as he stalked towards the door, practically punching the panel to open it. At first, Iza was confused as to where the hell he was going. She was having a difficult time picking apart which bond belonged to which man at the moment—her head was _so_ fucking fuzzy—but it didn’t take long for her to figure out what was happening when she started to hear heated grumbling coming from the other side of the rented room.

“ _Stay_ ,” Obi-Wan held fast to her when she started to pull out of his grasp, concentrating on the open doorway with a faint frown on his lips.

Another minute or two passed before an _extremely_ confused looking Catcher came walking through the doorway with the annoyed Jedi behind him. Brown eyes surveyed the scene on the bed and he opened his mouth to say something when Anakin waved a hand.

“She refuses to rest,” propping his hands on his hips, he growled on his next exhale and shot the Clone a look. “She seems to think that making sure _you_ get off is more important than not blacking out.”

“ _Little Bit_ ,” Catcher knit his brows together and moved closer to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it. “Sweetheart, what are you doing? You know better.”

“But I feel—”

“You _felt_ something you were supposed to ignore,” he looked a little embarrassed to even be talking about it. “Sweetheart—I spend _days_ without you. Do you really think I can’t take care of—”

“But it’s not fair.” She interrupted, finally pulling out of Obi-Wan’s grasp to crawl over to her Commander. “It’s not fair you had to listen to that and—”

“And what? Enjoy listening to it? Enjoy listening to you call out like that?” Doing his best to suppress a smile, Catcher reached up to brush the sweat-drenched bits of hair out of Iza’s eyes. “ _Sweetheart_ , you warned me this morning that you might have fun with them. I was already okay with it.”

“But—”

“Stop that,” he tapped the end of her nose with a fingertip. “Look at you. You can hardly keep your eyes open. You should be _basking_ , sweetheart. Not arguing over whose turn it is to ride you.”

“ _Thank you_.” Anakin waved a hand and moved to drop down onto the bed, cussing at the ceiling as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“You’re worrying too much about fairness, darling,” Obi-Wan murmured, reaching to brush his fingers over her lower back. “Everything evens out in the end. Please,”

Looking between the two, Iza shut her eyes when Catcher’s lips pressed against the side of her head, the tiniest of whimpers rising in her throat.

“Go on, Little Bit,” he whispered, gently brushing his fingers over a bruising bitemark on her neck. “Go relax for a while and I’ll see you later.”

“But Catcher,”

“ _Iza_ ,” he fixed her with a hard look and gave her a gentle headbutt, nipping her bottom lip. “You’re being unfair to _them_.”

“What about you?” She whispered softly so just he could hear.

“ _Sweetheart_ ,” he couldn’t help laughing at how damn stubborn she was, tilting his head to kiss her properly. “I’ll think about you. Like always. Now _go_.”

Giving Obi-Wan a look over the top of the brunette’s head as a cue to step in, Catcher got to his feet with a soft _tut_ and chuckled before looking over at Anakin.

“Hey— _knock_ next time, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Anakin nodded and held his hand up. “Thanks,”

“No problem,” giving Iza one last look, he pointed. “ _Later._ You be good for them.”

She nodded and watched him go, gasping softly when Obi-Wan pulled her back into his arms and kissed the side of her head. Instead of returning it, she turned her attention to Anakin and raised an eyebrow.

“What did he mean by that?”

Anakin pressed the tip of his tongue against his teeth as he tried not to grin, shrugging a shoulder.

“What do you think he meant by it, sweetness?” Waving his hand at her, he hummed contentedly when she started to crawl up the bed with the older Jedi in tow. Pulling her to his side, he dropped a kiss to the top of her head and snorted. “You two don’t know how to lock doors.”

“Was he—?”

“I think that’s what you were feeling, sweetness,” laughing, Anakin watched as Obi-Wan made himself comfortable on the other side of the brunette and propped his head on her shoulder.

“You’re far too quick to please, darling,” running his fingers along the velvet-soft surface of her belly, Obi-Wan shifted to nuzzle against the side of her neck. “You really must listen to us when we tell you to take it easy.”

“I know,” that sleepiness was starting to settle in again as she pressed her cheek to Anakin’s shoulder and blindly reached back to run her fingers into Obi-Wan’s sweaty hair. “I just… don’t want anyone feeling left out.”

“He very clearly expressed that he was fine, sweetness.” Anakin reached out to drag the bedspread over them, taking care to give the two naked parties most of the cover. “You did exactly what you should’ve done by _talking_ to him this morning and preparing him. I think he was only a little on the crabby side because I interrupted him.”

“You’re learning,” Obi-Wan smiled against the crook of her neck, winding his arm around her to give her a gentle squeeze. “Unfortunately we do not have enough time for you to learn _all_ of the things you need to know before we return to the Temple, but we will manage.”

“Just stop trying to stretch yourself so thin, Iza,” using a crooked finger to tilt her chin up, Anakin pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “He understands better than you think. _We_ understand better than you think.”

“Okay,” nodding slowly, Iza fought like hell to keep herself conscious. She’d followed everything they said and let it sink in as much as she could, but there was no way she was going to be able to keep the conversation going at this rate. They both seemed to realize this because they exchanged one of those looks and pressed kisses to two different parts of her body before curling up against her.

“Sleep, darling,” the elder of the two murmured into her hair.

She didn’t need to be told twice.

~*~*~*~

“Hi,”

Looking up from where she sat soaking in the tub, Iza smiled at Catcher and raised an eyebrow at his attire. The man very _rarely_ ran around in just the bottom half of his blacks like that—not that she was complaining. He must’ve been running out of things to wear.

“Hi,” tilting her head back against the wall, she waved her hand at him to invite him inside and almost pouted when he propped himself on the edge of the sink instead of sitting on the tub.

“You’re a mess, Little Bit,” he sounded amused, at least. She’d been worried about how he’d react to the various little bruises and bitemarks that had been left behind. “Did you get rest like I told you to?”

“Yes,” she nodded and twisted in the tub to move closer to the side, propping her chin atop her arms. “Are you getting in or just standing there?”

“ _Sweetheart_ ,” tutting at her, he shot her a look. “You do not look like you can handle much more.”

“It’s a bath, Catch.”

“Uh huh,” coming over, he squatted beside the tub and traced his fingertip over the scar on her cheek. “And how do our baths usually end?”

“You said _later_.”

“Mm, I did,” kissing the center of her forehead, he sighed into her hair. “But I can feel how tired you are. It’s not safe.”

“Tease,” she poked her bottom lip out at him and reached out to snap the waist of his blacks. “Walking around in this and telling me _no_.”

“My clothes are in the wash, Little Bit,” he laughed and shook his head at her. “You’re ridiculous. Worse than the boys, you know.”

“I am _not_ worse than Ze.” Picking her head up with a laugh, she wagged a finger. “You take that back.”

“You’re up there,” grinning, he gave her a quick kiss and sighed before straightening. “Budge up, Little Bit.”

Her eyes lit up and she sat up, scooting forward in the tub while watching from the corner of her eye as he hooked his thumbs in the waist of his blacks and peeled them off. She heard him hiss as he stepped in behind her and snickered. He wasn’t very fond of the boiling temperature she liked the water to be at. Iza damn near purred as his legs slid up alongside hers and one of his arms slipped around her middle to pull her back against his chest.

“Happy?” He asked, resting his head against hers.

“Yes,”

“Good.” Kissing her cheek, he wound his other arm around her and held her to him tightly, smiling when her wet fingers came up to brush along his forearms. Neither of them said anything for a while; just traded soft kisses and sweet little knocks of the head the way they liked to do. But after a while, Catcher became aware of a sense of anxiety in his chest that he was _pretty sure_ wasn’t his own. Frowning, he eyed Iza silently and nudged at her cheek with his nose.

“What’s wrong?”

 _Fuck_. She’d forgotten to block him off again, hadn’t she? She was going to have to sit down with Obi-Wan before they got back to Coruscant for pointers. This couldn’t continue once they got home.

“It’s nothing,” would he be able to tell it was a lie? Did he know what that felt like yet? “I’m just thinking about something.”

“Little Bit,” giving her a squeeze, Catcher tilted his head and tried to look at her. “Talk to me,”

“I don’t want to go back,” she whispered, staring at their feet beneath the water. “I don’t have a _choice_ —but I don’t want to go back.”

“Hey,” he pulled her up higher onto his lap and turned her a little so he could look at her properly. “We’ve talked about that before. I know it’s different this time sweetheart, but you still need to remember that—”

“I’m a Jedi. I’m needed. _I know_.” Iza continued to keep her eyes pointed anywhere that wasn’t Catcher’s face.

“What are you worried about?”

“This. _Us_.” She waved a hand around and let out a short laugh. “ _All of us_.”

“What about us?”

“I just want it to work. _We_ can make it work. We’ve made it work even before…” finally bringing her gaze to his, she lifted her hand and traced the scar on his chin. “But you’re so _possessive_ , my love. I’m terrified you’ll start thinking that I’m spending more time with them than you.”

“Is that why you were so adamant about getting at me when you were done with them?” Tilting his head, Catcher frowned and kissed the tip of the finger she brushed over his bottom lip. “Sweetheart—I know I’m an asshole, but we’ve had this discussion. It will be an adjustment, yes. But I think I’ll see more of you than they will.”

“What about when the war is over?”

“Little Bit,” he fixed her with a look. “You’ve arranged it so that I’m not to leave your side for eternity. I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

Iza huffed out a sigh and leaned in to rest her head against his.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Sweetheart,” his lips brushed the scar on her cheek and lingered there. “Stop worrying. I’ve told you that I’m _okay_ with this.” Pausing, he leaned back to look at her. “ _Are you?_ ”

“Am I what?”

“Are you okay with this? This… _relationship?_ ”

“Ours?”

He laughed and planted kisses to her cheek. He couldn’t help it. She was so blissfully ignorant sometimes, it was adorable.

“Little Bit, the _entire_ relationship. Me and you. You and the two knuckleheads in the next room.”

“Yes,” she gave him a funny look and frowned. “Why would you ask me that?”

“Because you just seem so damn nervous, that’s all.”

“I want it to work, Catcher,” shrugging, the brunette turned a hand up. “And every time I try to think of how it’s going to work when we get back to the Temple, I _can’t_.”

“Then don’t think about the Temple.” Sliding a hand along her thigh, he smiled at her and leaned in to give one of the gentle knocks of his head against hers. “ _Stop_ thinking about that place, in fact. I only want the terrible ideas you’ve got in that head of yours. Terrible, filthy ideas that end with water all over the place.”

“Now you’re just taunting me,” pursing her lips, Iza tried not to smirk when he kissed her. “Catcher,”

“Quiet,” that hand dipped under the water and tucked itself between her thighs, rubbing in slow circles until she shivered in his lap and buried her face against his shoulder. “You tell me if it’s too much,”

“Not too much,” she murmured, licking a drop of water from his neck. “That’s perfect,”

“Good. Just relax, sweetheart. And try not to be _too_ loud, okay?”


	16. I Can't Take a Holy War Again

The first week back at the Temple was _strange_. At first, Iza was sure the others had noticed a distinct shift within her. Perhaps that had something to do with the way she’d abandoned the idea of wearing robes that matched her Master’s. Her attire had shifted to the military blacks, darker tunics and similar cream colored tabards worn by a certain very popular Master Jedi. She refused to remove her modified trooper armor for any reason short of meditation and Vaapad practice, and wore her hair piled high on her head instead of down her back in the braid that had become standard for her over the years. She did her best to keep the same mild-mannered poise she’d had before she left, but often found herself feeling strangely out of balance when she wasn’t down at the base.

Master Windu had _definitely_ noticed the change. Thankfully, the war kept him so busy that he was only able to communicate with her for short bursts at a time or through holo-comm. The day he caught her out in the middle of the meditation garden trying to maintain and manage her conflictions, he truly knew something within his pupil had changed.

“Jedi Tacor,” he approached slowly as not to startle her and stood with his hands tucked against his lower back. “A word,”

Iza fought to keep from rolling her eyes as she carefully stood up from her spot and turned to face him. Neither of them said anything to each other for a long moment and she could feel him reaching out along the dusty link they shared. She’d spent a great deal of time blocking him out from things he didn’t need to see and had become quite skilled in hiding truths from his prying eyes, but he was delving much deeper than normal. He’d never been this invasive before; she’d never felt his Force energy suffocate her like that before. She’d always pictured it as being a soft shade of lavender—maybe because of the lightsaber. But now it burned a violent shade of indigo as it burrowed deep into places it had no business being and she clenched her teeth behind her lips before shoving a bright burst of sapphire back at him.

Taking a few steps back as she broke eye contact, the brunette shook her head to free it from the remnants of that invasive sensation and held her hand up in warning.

“ _How dare you_ ,” breaking the link had stirred her emotions so viciously that she wasn’t sure if she was going to cry or physically hurt him. “You didn’t even _ask_ , Master!”

“I’m concerned,” his tone was just as neutral as ever, but there was a look in his dark eyes that suggested he’d found something he didn’t like. It had all happened so quick that Iza wasn’t able to pinpoint where he’d gone or what he might’ve seen. She hoped he hadn’t touched the other bonds; she hoped he hadn’t undone everything. “You’ve closed yourself off to me.”

“You’ve never been open to _me_ ,” she shouldn’t have been so nasty. Taking that tone with him had never gone well in the past. It always ended with him making her feel ashamed and dirty. “I am no longer your Padawan, Master Windu. I no longer have to keep myself open to you.”

“It’s in your best interest. I’m still giving you the guidance you need, Jedi.”

“What sort of guidance is that?” _What_ had he done? It was like he’d ripped something from her but she couldn’t figure out what. There was a space—empty, hollow, _cold_. What had been there before?

“The kind that will save you, Jedi Tacor.”

The laugh that left her was almost hysterical in nature. Looking at him like he was insane, the brunette gestured at him with both arms and took another few steps back.

“ _Save me?_ ” Was it a lump or bile choking her? She couldn’t tell the difference. “Where the _fuck_ were you to **save me** when those men attacked me?! _Where were you?!_ ”

There it was. He hadn’t taken something _out_ , he’d pulled it _up_.

“You were supposed to _meet us_ ,” she couldn’t stop; it was like someone had pushed a button in her head and taken away her ability to stop speaking. “You were supposed to be there and you _weren’t!_ Catcher was the only one— _the only one_. **He** saved me. _YOU DIDN’T EVEN NOTICE!_ ”

That neutral expression had slid into something like shame—but only for a second. _Not good enough_.

“He pulled me back,” she was going to fall over if she didn’t breathe soon, but the sudden need to vomit was overwhelming her. “He did so much to protect me. And you tried to take him from me.” Smiling bitterly, Iza squeezed her eyes shut against the hot tears in her eyes. “You’re so negligent, Master. Perhaps someone should’ve taken me from _you_.”

Moving to walk around him and leave, Iza felt the hard tug behind her navel of him restraining her. Sucking in a shuddery breath, she refused to look at him as she swallowed hard and turned her head away.

“Iza,” his voice was gentle, but that wasn’t going to work. “Quell your anger, young one.”

“Let me go,” she could feel her fingers instinctively going for her lightsaber. She couldn’t attack him— _shouldn’t,_ really. The garden was such a sacred area and to disrupt its peaceful aura more than she already had would be so shameful on her part. That grasping sensation in her belly tightened and she felt him anchor her to where she stood.

“Center yourself,”

She felt blind as she stood there, staring out at nothing but a haze that had filled her mind. She was so _angry_ at him for this. How dare he pull such terrible things to the surface? She’d spent so much time burying these foul emotions and he had the audacity to dig them up. She supposed she should be grateful he hadn’t found her bonds; he had the power to rip all of them free and she didn’t know whether or not she’d be able to get them back.

“ _Jedi_ ,”

The cool metal column of her lightsaber had somehow made it into her palm and she pointed the unlit hilt in his direction, green eyes fixed on his dark brown with a look of warning.

“ _Let. Go._ ”

Iza felt the soles of her feet lighten as they came unstuck from the stone beneath them and she kept her hilt pointed at him as she stalked away. Her head spun as she ran into the Temple, shaking fingers doing their best to hang her lightsaber back on her belt. She felt cold and weak the further she got from the garden and everything seemed to have acquired a bright halo of light that bloomed and burned her eyes. Scrubbing at her face did no good; the halo only got worse. She’d rounded a corner to duck behind a statue and rest, settling her head against the cool marble to try and make it stop spinning so harshly. She was sweating, she noticed, cold rivulets pouring down the side of her face and neck as she struggled to keep from tossing the contents of her stomach all over the plush carpet in front of her.

And then she felt the soft, warm brush of Force energy seeping along a link. A paler shade of blue than her own, it wrapped her in a comforting embrace and weakened her knees further until she was sliding down the wall with a soft sob. _Where?_ Blurry eyes searched for Obi-Wan’s form and couldn’t find it. Was he even here? He and Anakin had been so difficult to track down the last few days that she’d started to get worried. The warm sensation tightened in a comforting way, willing the sick feeling and the shakiness out of her. Her head soon began to slow as the haze cleared and her eyes came back into focus. Across the way, she spotted him. The concern deep on his features, his arms crossed and Anakin nowhere in sight.

Iza started to push herself up along the wall in an attempt to stand, grabbing the statue beside her to scramble to her feet. She caught him as he shook his head and lifted a restraining hand, blue eyes shifting off to the side. Confused, the brunette took a single step forward and jerked when her Master’s distinct signature came into range. Looking to Obi-Wan again, she watched the way he twitched his head in a signal for her to go and turned on her heel to rush down the hall. Her legs were still a little on the weak side but she managed to keep a decent pace, making her way towards her sleeping quarters. She’d gotten about halfway there when a strong pair of arms slung themselves hard around her waist and dragged her into a room. She’d been so startled that she hadn’t even been able to scream, but Iza sure as shit kicked her feet out, knocking over a crate of _something_ and upsetting a table full of droid parts.

“Hey— _hey,_ ” Anakin’s calm voice was low in her ear. “It’s me. _It’s me_.”

“ _Ani!_ ” Twisting, the brunette grabbed hold of the front of his tabard and buried her face deep enough in his chest to smother herself with his robes. “ _Cyar'ika_ ,”

“Hi sweetness,” smiling down at her, he smoothed his hand over her tightly bound hair, squeezing her to him. “Are you all right?”

“ _No_ ,” her voice was muffled horribly by his chest but she didn’t want to move. She’d missed him, missed the smell of him. She only wished Obi-Wan had let her run to him, too.

“What happened, Iza?” He and Obi-Wan had been in the middle of preparing plans for an assignment they’d taken when Anakin had suddenly become violently sick. There’d been no direct explanation for it until Obi-Wan’s stomach began churning and he’d reached along his bond with the younger woman. The amount of distress and _hate_ she’d exuded was troubling; he’d said it felt too dark to be ignored.

“He forced his way in,” she was worried talking about it might make her sick again but Iza didn’t want to lie. Not to him. If she wouldn’t lie to Catcher about something like this, she couldn’t lie to _them_ about it. “He knows about the attack.”

“Which one, sweetness?” He hated that he even had to ask that.

“The bad one,”

He almost laughed. They were _both_ bad in his eyes, but he knew what she was referring to. That explained why he’d felt so terrified and sick.

“Does he know anything else?”

“I don’t think so.” Shaking her head, Iza pulled back to look up at him and just studied his face for a long time. After a few moments, she let out a tiny noise and reached up to cup his face and bring him down so she could rest her forehead to his. “I told him I crossed. I don’t think he realizes it. But I told him.”

“It’s likely he already knew,” Obi-Wan’s voice startled her enough to make her audibly knock her head against Anakin’s, who winced and shot the older man a look. Neither of them had heard the door open or felt his presence approaching. He’d probably done it on purpose.

“What do you mean?” Reaching for him, Iza pulled him in tight when he took her hand, shifting to nuzzle her face into his shoulder and breathe in that soft scent of the linen soap he liked to use.

“Darling,” His touch was deceptively gentle as he ran his fingers down her cheek. “A true Master knows when there’s a shift. If the bond is strong enough, we can feel _everything_. Despite your conflictions about Master Windu, the bond you share is **very** strong. He knew the exact moment you fell, and the moment you returned.”

“Are you defending him?”

“My dear,” he swept her away from Anakin to sit on the edge of the bed, drawing her into his lap. “My sweet, darling girl. You know what happened to you was not his fault.”

“He wasn’t where he was supposed to be, Obi-Wan,” pursing her lips to stop her jaw from wobbling, Iza hoped that horrible feeling from before wouldn’t return. It would be so terrible to point that kind of fury at him.

“And it _haunts_ him, darling,” his forefinger and thumb pinched her chin to steady her gaze. “Your nightmares plagued him. Your conflictions about the Order and his loyalty. He **_felt_** you fade away from him, darling. He feels as though he’s failed you—and he has. But this was _not_ his fault.”

“I hope he suffers,”

“ _Iza_ ,” Anakin’s tone was soft, but scolding.

“You don’t understand!” Twisting to look between them, Iza slapped her hands down on her thighs in frustration. “You don’t understand how it feels to carry that kind of _shame_ and to feel like you can’t trust your Master with it. He’s like my _father_ —and he just… he wasn’t…” shaking her head, she frowned hard against the need to screw her face up. “I loved him like family and I got _nothing_. No concern, not an ounce of the kind of attention I’ve seen other Masters give. I couldn’t trust him with this when I couldn’t even trust him to be where he said he’d be. He’s done nothing but _take_ from me. I’m _glad_ he shared my suffering.”

The delicate press of lips against her forehead made her whine and shut her eyes and she almost pushed Obi-Wan away when he wound his arms around her and murmured quietly,

“Center yourself, darling,” one hand fell away to press against the middle of her torso. “Focus and push those thoughts out.”

Iza wanted to argue. She was so sick of being told to _center herself_ and to _be mindful_. It drove her absolutely thermal to be reminded of the chaos that brewed within her; as if she couldn’t feel it twisting and turning in her chest on a daily basis with the things she’d refused to pass on to Catcher. She heard an impatient sigh, felt the soft gust of breath across her cheeks, and felt him press his palm harder against her abdomen.

“Reach,” he demanded, dropping his head until the very center rested against hers. A strange sensation followed when their brows met, cool and tingling. “Let me have you, darling,”

Her body warmed at the demand despite knowing that now was _definitely_ not the time for that.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan whispered, “Out.”

“Yes, Master,” Iza wondered if she’d ever heard the younger Jedi so compliant before. The door behind her slid open and shut and she heard the soft sound of a lock engaging. Funny; she hadn’t known any of the Temple doors to have locks.

Jarred out of her thoughts as Obi-Wan suddenly shifted her around so she straddled his lap and pulled her in tight enough for their chests to touch, Iza realized he’d never let their foreheads break contact. His eyes never opened and his breathing was so slow and concentrated that it became hard for her not to follow its pattern. Silently, he instructed her to settle her hands on his waist while anchoring his on her hips, pressing forward to further solidify the contact between their torsos.

“Close your eyes,” he breathed, lips ghosting over hers. “ _Reach_.”

She did as she was told, feeling out with a tentativeness she really didn’t need. But Iza was nervous; something about the way he’d pressed his forehead—his whole _body_ —to hers made this feel far stronger than normal. Instead of just feeling along the outer edges of his signature, she felt as though she was diving _into_ him. The deep blue of her Force energy was bleeding into places it had never been before and mixing with the pretty pale blue that reminded her so much of his eyes. She felt him reaching back, sliding the warmth over the bridge she’d built until he dipped so deep into her soul that she couldn’t help the tiny cry she let out.

“ _Shh_ ,” something about the way he silenced her made her wonder if this was one of those things they _weren’t_ supposed to do. It was so intense and intimate and it left her feeling vulnerable and open. He was calming her rage, soothing pain that had been there for so long it’d become one of her closest friends. He touched parts of her that she hadn’t seen since before the incident, sparking them back to life and lighting up the fires that had been smothered so long ago. He made flowers bloom in the center of her chest and in places that had only seen darkness and filled her with so much of himself and his sweet, healing light that she thought she might burst into a billion pieces.

Something hot and wet poured down her cheeks; tears. Hers and his mixed into a blend of saline tainted with relief and stolen pain. Their breathing was so heavy and ragged that one might mistake it for something sinful if left with no visual context. The grip of his hands was bruising and she knew her nails must’ve felt so unforgiving, but neither of them seemed to be able to move. She felt him starting to recede, the blue Force energy pulling back from her so slowly that she panicked and tried to grasp at it with her own.

“ _No_ ,” he sounded choked, his mouth dry as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “You must let me go, darling.”

“But—”

“I’ll still be here. It is not what you think.” His hands moved up to her face, palming it and holding her forehead firmly to his. “You _must_ let go.”

Iza hesitated but ultimately did as she was told, unfurling her possessive hold on him. Her body mourned the loss of his warmth and she sagged into him with a quiet sob, feeling a strange twinge in her forehead when he shifted his away and sealed his mouth against hers. The kiss was deep and slow, just as explorative as his curious Force energy had been moments before. The brunette didn’t want to let him go when he tried to pull back, but he got his way in the end. Once the contact was broken, she dropped her head back and breathed in shuddery gasps, pulling on his robes roughly as more of those soft sobs rose in her chest.

“I know, darling,” he stroked his hand down the side of her face, interrupting the path of the tears and smearing them into her skin. “I know,”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” she was terrified. What the hell had he just done to her? Why did it feel so similar to what she felt when she passed her pain to Catcher—only _deeper?_ What had he done to make her whole body feel like it was burning, like every cell was trying to rebuild itself all at once and bring her back to what she’d been before? _How?_ —was the better question.

“You’re all right,” he promised, wrapping his arms around her to draw her back to his chest. “You’re safe, darling,”

“What did you do?” Iza whined, pulling at him again. “ _What did you do to me?_ ”

“What your Master could not,” nuzzling the side of her head, he sighed heavily. “I finished what Catcher started.”

“What?” Did that mean what it sounded like? Had he taken the remnants of her darkness from her? What the hell was he going to do with that? How was he going to process that? What—

“ _Shhh,_ ” Obi-Wan slid a hand up to the back of her neck, rubbing the skin soothingly. “Darling, please trust me. I would not do anything I could not handle. Quiet your mind. You needn’t worry.”

“Obi-Wan—”

“Must you fuss?” Leaning back with a soft, adoring smile, the older Jedi kissed the spot between her eyes and hummed quietly. “It is gone, my dear. Thrown out into the Force where it belongs.”

“How?” Would that mean that Catcher would be able to do the same now? Would their bond allow him to just _chuck_ that pain away? She would love that for him. He deserved to return to that sweet, gentle soul he’d been when they first met.

“It’s a secret,” he teased, granting her a single kiss to the lips. “And I _will_ teach you, before you start whining at me. But you must wait. You are going to feel very fragile for a few days.”

“And you?”

“I’m not the one who just had their first experience with a _Runi_ _Bonding_.”

“A what?”

Obi-Wan laughed breathlessly and ran a crooked finger beneath her chin, brushing his lips over the bridge of her nose and across her scarred cheek.

“You’ve not been paying attention to our Mando’a lessons, have you?” He smiled and continued leaving the delicate kisses all over her face. “A soul bond, my sweet. A technique developed by a Mandalorian Jedi long, _long_ ago.”

“You have such a strange obsession with them,” unhooking her fingers from the front of his robes, Iza brushed the tips through the soft hair beneath his chin, sliding them up along his cheeks and frowning when she felt the dampness lingering there. “Obi-Wan—”

“The culture fascinates me,” _no_ , he would not let her acknowledge the tears he’d cried. He’d told her that the things she’d harbored had been thrown away and they _had_. She didn’t need to know they’d had to pass through him first in order for it to happen.

“You were everywhere. I forgot we were even here.” Iza really didn’t know how else to explain it. Even now, all she could do was picture the blue light filling her head and spreading through a blank outline of herself. The intricate details had been wiped from her mind’s eye and it was upsetting. He’d shown her a place inside of her that looked like a private temple, full of hallways and secret rooms she’d never be able to find on her own. His light had guided her through to the locked areas and slammed down the doors that had long been stuck shut, releasing suppressed feelings she no longer needed to cling to. But as she sat there trying to visualize it again, there was just empty space. It was as though it didn’t exist at all.

“That is _our_ space, Iza,” brushing the loose bits of hair from her face, Obi-Wan drew her gaze to his and lightly dragged the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. “Neither of us can go there without the other, and no one else can get in. You will have a space with Anakin and you will have one with Catcher. They will never be able to see the things we share there and I won’t see what you share with them.”

“But…” there was something about it that didn’t feel right. Iza had wanted to be open with all of them— _completely_ open and honest. The idea of sharing secret spaces felt wrong somehow.

“Darling,” she’d missed his gentle kisses over the last few days. Perhaps more than she was willing to admit. “These places are built on trust, not secrets.”

She nodded. Okay, she felt a little better about that. Humming quietly into the next sweet, drugging kiss he pressed to her lips, Iza tried not to lean into him too much and shifted back on his lap when he pulled back.

“What’s wrong?” He raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly at the way she refused to look at him. He had a feeling he knew, but it was cute to watch her get flustered.

“I…” Fiddling with the little metal catch at the front of his belt, Iza shrugged and shook her head. “I still feel you. It’s different than before. The bond feels stronger.”

“That is a byproduct of a Runi, yes.”

“It’s making me…”

“Darling,” tipping her chin up, he smiled in that wicked way of his and lightly kissed the end of her nose. “ _I know_.”

“Can we?” She knew they shouldn’t. Not in the Temple. Not on Anakin’s damn bed. Certainly not without Anakin in attendance, either. But the longer her energy twisted and danced around his, the worse the feeling seemed to get. She didn’t think she’d be able to handle herself if he turned her loose now. She’d have to run down to the base and drag Catcher away from whatever duties he’d been given for the day, and that would cause problems for _everyone_.

“Yes,” another gentle kiss was placed upon her lips before he pulled back and held a finger up. “But you must behave.”

“I’ll behave,” she wanted to know what it was like to have him at his sweetest. “I promise.”

“All right,” smiling faintly, he caught her about the waist and rolled her onto the bed beneath him. “Do try to be mindful of that mouth too, darling. Remember where we are.”

~*~*~*~

“In _my_ bed? _Really?_ ” Anakin only sounded half annoyed as he stepped into the room with a quiet _tut_. He looked more amused than anything when Iza picked her head up from where it lay on Obi-Wan’s chest and watched him lean against the edge of table. He sure had a lot of _junk_ in here.

“I’m sorry, _Cyar'ika_.”

Smiling, Anakin shook his head.

“I’m teasing.” Looking her over for a moment or two, he raised an eyebrow. “Do you feel better?”

“I do,” she let out a soft sound when Obi-Wan’s fingers began brushing along the dip of her waist. “ _That tickles_.”

“I thought you weren’t ticklish?” He murmured, casting a sleepy look at her.

“I…” how did she explain this? “I feel very… _sensitive_.”

“ _Oh_ ,” Anakin’s smile grew into a grin and he wagged his finger. “You showed her the Runi technique. You should know better than to do that here, Master,”

“She was in pain, Anakin,” sitting up on the bed, Obi-Wan gave the younger man a pointed look. “It was enough to make _you_ ill. Something needed to be done.”

“She’ll be alert like this for a week.”

“I thought about it already.” Giving the side of Iza’s head a kiss, he slid to the edge of the bed to start gathering his robes, frowning when he realized the tabard he’d picked up was too small to be his. Eyeing it curiously before setting it on the bed with a soft laugh, Obi-Wan sighed. “She’ll come with us. Torrent Company could use the backup— _don’t_ take that personally. I would also like to see her Stars in action.”

“Wait, what?” Looking between the two of them, Iza tilted her head to try and get at least one of them to look her in the eye. “Go where?”

“Back to the battlefield, sweetness,” Anakin’s blue eyes were shameless as they followed the curves of her body the more she pulled out from beneath his blankets. “We’re supposed to leave in the morning.”

“Were you going to tell me?”

“ _Darling_ ,” turning to look at her, Obi-Wan knit his brows together as he paused in the middle of pulling his tunic on, crossing back over to gently take hold of her chin. “Surely you know better than that?”

“I’m sorry,” looking elsewhere, she tried to drop her head but he wouldn’t let her. She heard him sigh and saw him lean in closer from the corner of her eye before his lips brushed her temple.

“Don’t apologize, my dear,” smoothing his hand over her hair, he smiled tightly. “Anakin, be gentle with her—”

“I know,” the younger man said, nodding slowly. “I remember.”

“Where are you going?” Iza asked when Obi-Wan pulled away to finish getting dressed.

“I believe I have a Council meeting to attend, darling,” letting out a short laugh, he bent to pick up his belt and fastened it around his waist. “One that I fear I will have to struggle to keep myself composed through. I have this _dreadful_ urge to punch Master Windu in the face and I can’t seem to figure out why.”

Iza felt her cheeks heat and got an affectionate smile in return. Tilting her head up when he came over for a kiss, she very nearly hauled him back onto the bed when he lingered a little too long and whined when he finally broke away.

“I will see you two later.” Pointing at Anakin, he raised both brows. “Make sure to take her to the base with the assignment plans. Do not spend all your time here.”

“Yes, Master,” nodding, Anakin moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “We’ll go soon.”

“Remember— _be gentle with her_.”

“I _will_ , Obi-Wan. _Go_.”

Giving them one last look, he sighed and turned to leave. When Obi-Wan had gone through the door and his Force signature had faded down the hallway, Iza turned to look over at Anakin curiously.

“You’ve done the Runi thing with him, haven’t you?”

The younger man let out a startled bark of laughter, looking almost embarrassed by the question. His eyes seemed to want to look everywhere in the room but at her as he gathered his thoughts and tried to control the goofy look on his face until he eventually relaxed and gave a tiny nod of his head.

“Yeah,” his voice was soft and small and so unlike what she was used to hearing out of him. Perhaps she’d asked something a little too personal? “That’s our… it’s how we…”

“Anakin, you don’t have to tell me,” coming up beside him, she rested her chin on his shoulder and settled against his back. “Those things are private between you two. I understand.”

“It’s not like… we don’t know that you know,” he was so hesitant and Iza wished she hadn’t said anything at all. There wasn’t any discomfort in the air around him, but she could feel him struggling to find a way to explain himself. “We both know _very well_ that you know. You intercepted the bond when we—”

“Is that what that was?” Well, that explained why her climax had been so fucking intense. _Everything_ was always more intense when she was trapped between the two of them, but that moment in particular—seeing them touch foreheads like that and smile the way that they had. That had been a _different_ kind of intense altogether.

“We didn’t mean to trap you in it like that.” Chuckling, Anakin tilted his head against hers and hummed at the kiss she pressed to his cheek. “And once you were there, we almost didn’t want to let you go.”

“Can it be shared in threes?” Leaning around him to get him to look at her, she was greeted by one of his slow smiles and a shake of the head.

“Sweetness,” he pressed his lips to her brow, trying not to snicker. “That is something you will have to ask Obi-Wan. Two can draw a third into the bond, but I’m not sure if a triad can be formed.”

Iza looked deep in thought as she sat there leaning against him with her eyes pointed at the floor. After a moment or so of silence, Anakin gave her a little nudge to bring her out of her thoughts and nuzzled the side of her head when she grunted at him in annoyance.

“We should go to the base,” or maybe he was going to give her ear a quick nip. That might happen too. “Let’s get work out of the way.”

“Catcher is going to want to see me,” she wished he hadn’t done that. Now all she wanted was to crawl into his lap and let him leave little bite marks all over her skin. “That might not be the best idea, Ani.”

“You’ll just have to put your General Boots on, won’t you?” He teased, giving her chin a nudge so he could get to that tender spot on her neck he loved so much. “He’s very professional when he needs to be, sweetness. He’ll understand.”

“All right,”

“Don’t sound so put out. There will be plenty of time before we have to leave for you to spend with him.”

“It’s harder to do that here,” sliding off of the bed to gather up her clothes, Iza began to pull them on and sighed heavily. “I have to make arrangements and false meetings and—”

“We’ll have an entire starship, Iza,” watching with interest as she plucked a charcoal grey tunic up from the floor to pull on over her head, Anakin felt something warm swell in his chest. “We will make sure you have privacy with your Commander.”

“What is that?” Looking over at him with a funny expression, Iza laughed a little. “What is this you’re feeding me?”

“What is _what?_ ”

She gestured to her chest, tilting her head back when he stood up from the bed to tower over her. Instinctively, she leaned into the palm he brought up beneath her chin, smiling against his lips when he bowed to kiss her as that warmth expanded and flooded into the rest of her body.

“ _Anakin_ ,” Iza couldn’t even breathe properly anymore and the jerk was just _smiling_ at her now. He knew what he was doing.

“You’ve changed your robes,” giving the tunic a playful pluck, he raised an eyebrow and eyed the cream colored tabard in her hand. “You’re not worried someone will notice?”

“I look better in these shades,” shrugging, the brunette kissed his chin and stepped away to finish dressing. “The blacks are standard. I need them for my armor.”

“You’re in the Temple. You don’t need armor.”

“Don’t you start with me,” waving a finger at him, she shot him a look and looked around for where her belt had been tossed. “I already had to hear it from Master Yoda about not wearing my armor in here. If _he_ can’t make me relinquish it, neither will you.”

“Does it sound like I’m trying to do that?” He laughed and watched her scoop her boots up to slip them back on. “I just meant you don’t need it on inside.”

“I feel better with it on.”

“Okay,” sitting beside her while she continued to buckle and lock her boots into place, Anakin swept the hair away from her shoulder and kissed the side of her neck. “I’ll say nothing more about it.”

“What sort of mission is this, Ani?” She didn’t want to talk about her armor or her new choice in robe colors anymore. If they were going to the base to talk shop, she needed a basic rundown to give to her men. “If Obi-Wan is willing to bring the Stars, it must be something big, right?”

“It’s…” he gave a light shrug and turned his hand up.

“Assault? Recovery? Aid?”

“Listen to you,” grinning, the younger Jedi got to his feet and held a hand out to her. “You do take this _General_ thing pretty serious, don’t you?”

“I need to know what the boys and I are going into, Anakin,” looking him over, she took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. “I haven’t been on the battleground in over a month. I have to be prepared.”

“It’s an assault mission, but we’ll be keeping you behind Torrent Company.”

“That’s not necessary,” shaking her head as she let him lead her out of the room, Iza took a sharp right to start heading for her quarters. She needed her gear if she was going to the base. “The Stars can take up the front.”

Momentarily confused when she didn’t immediately follow behind him, Anakin turned to instead follow after her, frowning hard at the back of her head.

“I think my men can handle the attack just fine, Iza,” Coming up alongside her, he caught the soft snort she gave before she looked at him from the corner of her eye and pulled her shoulders back to straighten herself. Was she trying to appear _taller?_ What the hell was this?

“I don’t tolerate being at the back.” Her tone had shifted and the air around her was changing, too. Anakin could feel a sort of coldness seeping in along their bond that made him frown harder and reach out to gently take hold of her arm. Flinching when she jerked away from him, he stopped in his tracks to stare after her.

“ _Iza_ ,”

“This is non-negotiable, Anakin,” she wouldn’t look at him as she continued on down the hall. “Anyone who recruits us knows this. We are frontline or we don’t go.”

Stalking after her, the younger Jedi stepped in front of her to keep her from going any further and stared her down for a good few seconds before shaking his head.

“You don’t know much about Torrent Company, do you?” What _was_ that he was feeling from her? “Because _we_ head the front of the line, sweetness.”

“Then I suppose you don’t need us,”

“Iza!”

“What part of _non-negotiable_ isn’t computing, _Cyar'ika?_ ” Shooting him a hard look, Iza moved to walk around him and growled quietly when he snatched her by the elbow. “ **Anakin** ,”

“ _Fine_ ,” Obi-Wan would skin him alive if he made her drop out _and_ if he upset her while she was vulnerable from the Runi session. “You can have the space up front. You’ll have to listen to Rex complain about it.”

“I’m sure Rex will be fine,” the coolness was fading but that attitude was still very much present. “It’s not like he doesn’t know me.”

He didn’t want to argue about this. Ultimately, the tactical plans would have the last say in which squad ran first, so there was little use for their bickering. Pausing when Iza stopped in front of the door to one of the personal chambers, he curiously peered inside when it opened and waited to see if he’d be invited in instead of following her.

“This will take a minute,” she didn’t look at him even as she waved a hand towards the single chair in the room. “You might as well sit.”

Giving a low nod of his head, he stepped inside and looked around slowly. She seemed to have a similar philosophy to her living space as Obi-Wan with how few personal belongings he saw. There was a table with a trooper helmet set on top of it and a very worn looking stuffed toy—a cat of some sort—propped beside it. She had datapads stacked near the foot of her bed with an ammunitions crate beside it. He was pretty sure blasters weren’t allowed in the Temple.

“Are you going to sit or just stand there?” Iza was finally looking at him directly as she pulled pieces of armor from another small crate in the corner, one brow raised high on her forehead.

“Sorry, I was just looking.” He smiled and took a seat, watching her don the bracers and the thigh plates that were, honestly, _highly_ unnecessary. They were only going to the base; she didn’t need to suit up entirely. “Do you wear the helmet, too?”

“Not that one, no,” barely sparing it a glance, Iza pulled another out of the crate she was rummaging through and tossed it in Anakin’s direction, smiling when she heard him catch it. “That’s _my_ bucket.”

“You actually wear one?” He let out a soft laugh and turned it over in his hands, taking in the deep maroon paint job and the tiny stars that had been drawn below the visor panel. “This doesn’t hinder you?”

“I adjusted to it,” pressing the last of the panels to the surface of her blacks, Iza came over to take the helmet from him. “Like everything else.”

Looking her over, Anakin tilted his head as he silently tried to decide how he felt about her appearance in the modified armor. After a moment of squinting and humming, he flicked his gaze up to her face and smiled.

“You don’t look half bad in that.”

“You should see me in the full suit.”

“Why am I not surprised that there’s a full suit?” Getting up from the chair, the younger Jedi laughed and moved to follow her out of the room.

“Because I told you before—I’m a _soldier_ , Anakin.”

“And I told you, _you’re a Jedi_.”

“I can be both.” She made a face at him and turned to start heading down the hall with her helmet propped under her arm. “But I prefer the soldier.”

“Why is that?” Steering her down the stairs that would lead them outside, Anakin gave a quick glance towards the direction of the high tower. Obi-Wan was still in his meeting. They’d have a while before they saw him again.

“She’s stronger.” Once again, iza had decided to keep her gaze averted. “She keeps her head on her shoulders when it matters. The Jedi is a coward in comparison.”

“Is that how you think of us?”

Looking up at him, Iza stared hard. After a moment, she shook her head.

“No. Of course not.”

“Then why would you think that of yourself?”

Her smile was tight and faint, the sigh she gave heavy and tired.

“Anakin, I do not think that now is a good time for this conversation, _Cyar’ika_.” Reaching to find his hand and slip her fingers between his, she gave a gentle squeeze and leaned into his side for a brief moment. They couldn’t be seen like this, but maybe if she showed him she wasn’t trying to be aggressive on purpose, he’d relax. “Let’s get work out of the way and we can talk.”

She watched him simply stare at her for a minute before he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss against the top of her head, nudging her to get her to start walking again.

“Talking was not what I had in mind, but I suppose we can adjust the schedule,” he teased, discreetly shaking his hand free when a small group of younglings being led by another Jedi approached in the hall.

“We’ll get to that too,” they’d finally reached the doors and breezed their way out, both seeming to breathe heavy sighs of relief at the same time once their feet hit the stone pavement. They looked over at one another oddly, taking note that the other appeared to be breathing a bit easier now that they weren’t stuffed inside of the Temple and for a moment, Iza felt a sense of curiosity wash over her that she wasn’t quite sure was hers or his.

“You too?” He asked finally, his voice low enough to be a whisper.

“Always,” was he talking about the pressure that seemed to lift once she stepped back out into the world? He had to be. “It’s always like that.”

His blue eyes went a bit soft as he gazed at her and he reached to link his fingers around hers once again, giving them a small squeeze. He said nothing as he jerked his head and started walking, leading them both away from the Temple and down the walkpath that would lead them to the Clone Base.


	17. Don't Let Me Go

“General Tacor,” Rex looked unamused as he leaned over the console in front of him and squinted at the woman on the other side. “Tactically speaking, it’d be a disaster to send the Stars in first. Your company is too small. You’ll need more men.”

“I have plenty of men, Captain,” Iza looked as though she might jump over the console and strangle the man if he continued arguing with her like this. “But Master Kenobi has asked _us_ to come along. _Just_ the main six.”

“You’d be flattened the moment you hit the dirt.” Rex’s eyes shifted slightly to the Commander standing beside Iza when the man adjusted his stance. Oh, he’d caught the way the Jedi flicked her fingers out to signal him to silently stand down, too. Wrapped around her little damn finger, that Clone was. “You don’t stand a chance, sir.”

“Is this how you speak to Anakin?” Tightening her arms across her chest, the Jedi pulled her shoulders back in what he supposed was meant to be an intimidating gesture. “Are you _this_ argumentative with him, Captain?”

“With all due respect, General,” he had to fight not to sigh. “General Skywalker insists on tactical maneuvers that puts us at the front for a _reason_.”

“As do _I_.” Growling deeply, Iza’s hand came down on the console with a hard _thunk_ and she scowled as she leaned into the holo-map between them. “I have the lowest black-bag count of any General in the army, _Captain_. You _need_ me at the front to keep your men alive.”

Honey-brown eyes remained fixed on the determined peridot gaze in front of him for a long time before Rex finally relented, letting out that sigh he’d been holding onto.

“All right,” she had a point; the girl hadn’t been a General for very long, but she’d built herself a decent reputation around the place. She ranked up there with Skywalker and General Plo with the care she took with her men. It was admirable, but infuriating at the same time. “We will adjust the plans and you will lead.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” straightening, Iza shot a quick look and a nod to Catcher, who nodded back and walked off—presumably to inform the others. The two standing near the console eyed each other for a long moment before Rex reached out and shut the map down, clearing his throat.

“You’re a hardass, Tacor,” the faintest of smiles had lifted the corners of his lips. “Good to have you on, sir,”

“I was meant for this, Captain,” Iza relaxed a little and took the datapad he held out to her. “I’m most comfortable in a military environment. You know that.”

“You’ve got the choobies for it.” He chuckled and gave a wave of his hand. “Metaphorically speaking, of course,”

“Captain?”

“Yes sir?”

“You know I won’t let you or your men down, right?” Fixing him with a hard look, Iza straightened her spine again and got a careful tilt of the head in return.

“General Tacor—”

“ _Iza_ ,”

He paused and closed his mouth, smiling tightly like he wasn’t sure he’d be able to say her name. After a moment of silent contemplation, Rex rubbed the back of his neck.

“Iza,” it felt strange to address her this way; he didn’t much care for it. “I’m not sure who you’re trying to reassure here, but you don’t need to tell me—”

“General,” Catcher’s voice pulled their attention to the doorway and Iza almost dropped the datapad in her hands.

“Yes, Commander?”

“The Stars would like a word, sir,”

“Right, okay,” offering Rex a smile and a nod, Iza turned to leave with the other Clone, grunting at the soft bump of the shoulder he gave when they were far enough down the hallway. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” eyeing her curiously, Catcher frowned. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just feeling a little…” waving her hand near her head, the brunette laughed and allowed him to lead her through the starship.

“That Runi thing, right?” They’d discussed it briefly, having had no time to really sit down and talk before they’d departed from Coruscant.

“Mhm,” she wished she could give him a kiss. He looked like he could use one. She certainly needed one. “Obi-Wan says it’ll be another day or two of this and I’ll be all right again. He promised to show me how so we can try it.”

“It sounds dangerous,” glancing down both ends of the hallway, Catcher leaned in and stole a quick peck from her lips before continuing to march his way down the hall. “You feel almost unstable, Little Bit.”

“He said I’d be fragile,” blowing out a breath as she came up alongside him, Iza shrugged. “I thought maybe he meant _emotional_. It feels like he went through and cleared the dust out of everything. It’s so weird.”

“Are you sure it’s wise for you to go out onto the battlefield? What if something happens again?”

Iza stopped in her tracks and shot him a hard scowl when he turned around, making Catcher put his hands up defensively.

“Sweetheart, you know I don’t mean anything by that. I just—”

“You’re dismissed, Commander,” moving to walk around him, Iza stiffened when he caught her by the arm as she passed. “ _Catcher_ ,”

“Little Bit,” he pulled her as close as he safely could, knowing full well that the wrong pair of eyes could spell trouble for both of them. “Sweetheart, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“What did you mean, Catch? Do I feel _that_ unstable to you that you think I’ll take one step and just _fall_ again?”

“Little Bit—”

“I said you were dismissed,” she wouldn’t look at him and he didn’t like the icy sensation pooling in his gut. “Let go of me and return to your quarters, Commander,”

“So you can run off to them?” He dropped his hand and scoffed, knowing he probably shouldn’t have said that. When Iza turned and shoved her soft chest into his armored one, he _definitely_ knew he shouldn’t have said it.

“You really wanna do this? _Here?_ ” Her eyelids fluttered rapidly as she tried to keep tears from forming in them and she charged forward again to bump violently into his chest. “You wanna start that shit _now_ , Catcher?!”

“ _Stop_ ,” putting his hands out to brace them on her shoulders, Catcher tried to keep her at arm’s length even as she fought against his hold. “Sweetheart that’s _enough_ ,”

“ _I_ say when it’s enough,” she reached out and hooked her fingers in his utility belt, yanking hard enough to almost pop its latches. Bringing him in against her chest, she practically slammed her forehead into his and locked their gazes, daring him to move. “ _I say when, Catcher_.”

He could feel her reaching along their bond, felt something being pulled from deep in his chest—hot, angry, _violent_. What the _hell_ was she doing? He didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to cut her off. She had every advantage in the situation and it—honestly—terrified him. He felt helpless as the disgusting things he’d taken from her were slowly ripped away from his grasp, sucked back into her Force energy and turning it such a deep shade of blue it looked black against the amber glow of his.

“Iza _stop_ ,” he couldn’t get his hands to move from her shoulders. She’d anchored him there somehow. The longer he stared into her eyes, the lighter they got. Those pretty gold stars were fading, blending into the ever-brightening irises until he could no longer see them. “ _Iza_ ,”

She shoved him back suddenly, making him stumble back against the wall of the ship. She stared at him with those wild eyes of hers, features strangely soft and sympathetic. Catcher felt like hell. His stomach turned and he seemed on the verge of crying. There was an odd sort of emptiness in the places where Iza’s anger and pain had once settled and he didn’t know what to do with that space now.

“What did you do?” He asked quietly, trying to catch his breath. “Iza—what was that?”

“I fixed it,” she looked drugged. “No more of this, Catcher,”

“No more _what_ , sweetheart?”

“I love you,” she took a step forward and he flinched. “No more of this incessant jealousy.”

 _Fuck_ —what had he started?

“Little Bit,” he was hesitant to touch her when she offered a hand. His attention, thankfully, was pulled away when the sound of rushed footsteps pounded down the hallway and a pair of arms wrapped tight around the brunette in front of him, dragging her away a few feet until they both stumbled back and fell.

“ _Darling, what have you **done**?_” Obi-Wan was far from gentle as he grabbed hold of Iza’s jaw to turn her face towards his. Turning his attention to Catcher, he pointed his free hand down the hallway. “Fetch Anakin. _Now!_ ”

“Yes sir,” scrambling to push himself away from the wall, Catcher turned and ran off to go find the other Jedi.

“ _Iza_ ,” growling when the younger woman tried to pull out of his grasp, Obi-Wan dragged them both to their feet and hauled her into a nearby room, half tossing her onto the bunk so he could lock the door. “You’ve undone _everything!_ ”

“It was not his pain to hold onto,” sitting up with a growl, Iza scowled at the older man and clenched her teeth when he stalked over and grasped the front of her robes.

“You were told to _wait_.” He looked like he wasn’t sure what to do with her, but those blue eyes were _furious_. “You have no idea what you’re doing.”

“I need it,” dropping her head back when he gave a frustrated tug of her robes, Iza shot him a defiant look. “I feel empty without it, Obi-Wan.”

“You do _not_ need those things, Iza!” Lowering himself to her level, the elder Jedi grasped the sides of her face and gave her the tiniest shake. “You foolish girl, you were _whole_ again!”

“But he was not,” she looked indifferent to his actions and that worried him a bit. “You cannot fix me and not let me fix him too, Obi-Wan,”

“Darling,” he shut his eyes and leaned in to press his lips to the center of her forehead, his concern growing at how warm she was. “I was going to help you. I promised I would, remember?”

“I grew tired of his jealousy,”

“ _My darling_ ,”

“You can’t change it, Obi-Wan,” she whispered, shifting to rest her head against his shoulder. “I took back what was mine.”

“And you will give it to _me_ ,” already he was climbing onto the bunk, gathering her into his lap to position her against his chest. “You will pass it through me, Iza.”

“No,” shutting her eyes, the brunette shook her head and turned away to prevent him from anchoring his forehead to hers. “You can’t have it.”

“You may _not_ hold onto it, Iza,” he tried to take hold of her again and huffed when the brunette twisted away. “ _Darling_ ,”

“I don’t want to,” looking up at him with those disturbingly bright eyes of hers, Iza frowned. “I said _no_.”

“I will sever our bonds,” he warned, looking damn serious. “I cannot hold onto you when you harbor such things. I cannot let you hold onto Anakin like this.”

Iza shoved him hard and looked like she might punch him next.

“ _You can’t_.”

Firm hands came up to grasp the sides of her head again and he leaned in until their noses almost touched, keeping his serious gaze level with hers.

“You are on the edge, my dear. One more step and you will be lost to us.” He looked like he wanted to lean in and close the space between them, to force his way into the places she’d allowed her darkness to damage again. “You will lose us one way or the other if you do not let me help, do you understand?”

“You’re a _bastard_.” She breathed, pushing at his chest again.

“ _I **love** you_, darling,” his voice was hardly a whisper when he said it. “There is a difference,”

Iza didn’t want to give in to him. Something in her soul was screaming at her to hold onto the comforting feeling of her pain until it consumed her the way it’d done before. But there was another feeling that was slowly crawling through her and making her terrified over the idea of losing them forever. Would he _really_ break the links and drop her like garbage? Would he really force Anakin to do the same? It hardly seemed fair.

“Please,” his kiss was soft and sweet, but still he didn’t rest his forehead to hers. “If not for me, do it for him. He does not deserve that kind of pain, Iza,”

Neither of them did.

She really should’ve been a little gentler when she pushed forward. The center of her forehead was going to be so bruised later. Feeling Obi-Wan’s arms wrap around her and bring her flush against him Iza was thrown into that secret place they shared; startled by the way he seemed to rush into her to flush out the terrible things she’d torn from Catcher. They both made similar sounds of agony and relief, digging their fingers into each other’s hips and pulling the other closer until the pale blue light pulled away and left her shiny and clean once again. There was no sweet kiss when they broke away this time and Obi-Wan sagged against her heavily with his face buried in her shoulder. Iza could do nothing more than gasp for air and try to stay upright, holding onto him while he shivered and sobbed into her robes. Reaching a shaking hand up, Iza dragged her fingers through Obi-Wan’s hair and finally turned to kiss the top of his head, curling her legs around him to hold him closer and try to soothe him.

“I’m all right,” he murmured when she’d leaned back to check on him. “I’m all right, darling.”

“I told you I did not want you to do that,” dropping her head to rest it against his, Iza held him tighter. “You call _me_ foolish.”

“It is a kinder punishment than losing you,” he shut his eyes when her fingers brushed over his cheek, his breathing evening out slowly. “It’s gone, darling. It’s gone.”

“You should not have to be the filter, Obi-Wan,” she dried the tears from his beard with a corner of her robes, frowning hard. “I could have carried it myself.”

“No,” he huffed out a dry laugh and shook his head, looking exhausted. “Not this. That—”

“ _Obi-Wan!_ ” Anakin’s panicked voice echoed through the room as the younger Jedi charged in with Catcher at his heels, eyes wide and frantic. Looking between the two on the bunk, his gaze settled on the older man for a long moment before a soft sort of rage sank into his features and he stepped forward to seize Iza by the arms and drag her from the bunk.

“ _Anakin!_ ” Obi-Wan’s protest went unheard as his partner hauled Iza away and shoved her into the arms of the Clone.

“Get out,” he looked so damn intimidating as he stood over them with his eyes narrowed the way that they were.

“Ani—” Iza gasped sharply when he leaned in further and bared his teeth like an animal.

“ ** _OUT_** _!_ ”

Try as she might to reach out to him and try to soothe the flaming hot rage he cast in her direction, Iza was only met with barriers. He was blocking her out entirely even as he stood there just inches from her face. She didn’t argue when Catcher scooped her off of her feet like a child and carried her out of the room, but as soon as the door slid shut in their faces something cold slammed into her chest and left her weeping uncontrollably. Iza reached for the door panel only to have Catcher pull her away from it, hollering and sobbing in protest. He carried her through the halls of the starship with her leaning over his shoulder, shouting nonsense and grasping at the air desperately. It hurt. His whole fucking chest was on fire from the ache he felt from her. And he had to try and keep a straight face the entire time he dragged her down to her quarters, avoiding every single one of his damn brothers as best as he could on the way there.

When they finally reached the room, Iza was a mess. She’d doubled over onto his shoulder and buried her face in his neck, sobbing hard enough to choke on the erratic breaths she was taking. Her nails made horrible noises against his armor and she made sounds like she was dying from the inside out. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to take _this_ kind of pain away from her, especially when she was already suffocating his senses with it. Catcher started popping panels from the body glove she wore, setting them aside and giving little kisses to her tear-streaked face like it might do something to soothe her. He wanted her comfortable; the armor was the worst thing for her to wear right now. Her belts went next, set side as gingerly as possible so he wouldn’t have to hear her yell about his carelessness with her lightsaber.

“What are you doing?” She was pulling on him, looking confused as his hands went to her hips to loosen the layers of her robes.

“Nothing you don’t want me to,” he pulled back and worked on her boots next, tossing them to the ground and getting up from the bed to pop his own armor off. “We don’t have to do a damn thing, sweetheart. I just can’t… _you’re killing me_.”

“I can’t feel them, Catcher,” Iza screwed her face up and grabbed at the front of her robes, pulling hard in frustration. “I can’t feel them.”

“Oh, Little Bit,” he tried to move faster, getting down to the blacks in record time, and crawled back onto the bed beside her to wrap her up in his arms tightly. Dropping his chin atop her head, he let her curl in as close as she wanted, hissing quietly when her nails pinched through the material of the body glove. He murmured soft things to her, kissing the top of her head and doing his best to send as much soothing energy down their bond as he could. He was still so new to this that he wasn’t sure he was even doing it right, but Iza’s breathing soon became less erratic and he didn’t feel quite so much of that horrible ache coming from her. It’d turned into a sort of numbness that worried him a little, but he supposed it was better than blistering pain.

“I fucked up,” she sniffled after a while, shaking fingers coming around to trace the symbol at the front of Catcher’s blacks. “I fucked up, Catch,”

“Sweetheart,” tilting his head to watch her, he twisted his lips in a soft frown and sighed. “What did you do?”

“I freed you. Can’t you feel it?”

“Freed me?”

Those starry green eyes of hers lifted to meet his and she nudged his chest with her knuckles.

“I took it back.” _Oh_. That explained the hollowness he felt. “And he took it from me and now… I’ve lost them.”

“Little Bit,” Catcher’s touch was gentle as he brushed his fingers under her chin to get her to tilt her head up further. “I don’t believe you’ve lost them.”

“Anakin was so upset.” She didn’t want to look at him directly but Catcher wasn’t giving her much of a choice. “He cut me off, Catch.”

“He was worried for Obi-Wan,” Catcher had experienced the boy’s mood shift firsthand. Anakin had been fine one second while he led the Jedi back to where Iza and Obi-Wan had been, and then he’d gone _feral_ out of nowhere. There’d been no explanation for it at all until they’d reached that damn room. “You know how deeply their bond runs, sweetheart. I’m sure they’ll open themselves back up to you soon.”

“They’re just not _there_ , Catcher,” her hand thumped lightly against his chest and she let out a soft sob. “It’s empty. _It’s gone_.”

Pulling her close again, he could only sigh and let her cry into his shoulder. He didn’t know what to do for her or how to fix this. He’d be halfway through with fixing it by now, if he did. He honestly just hoped that those two assholes wouldn’t leave her like this. There would soon be two _very_ dead Jedi on board this starship if that was the case.

~*~*~*~

Iza felt numb as she wandered down the hall in her loose robes and bare feet. She’d left Catcher sleeping in her quarters with no intention of waking him. She wanted to be alone. There was a meditation room on one of the upper decks that she’d set her sights on earlier in the day; maybe she could go there. She paid no mind to anyone she passed in the halls, even when she was given little nods of acknowledgement. Her mind was focused on keeping the heavy ache in her chest at bay and she couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to much else. She found the room easily enough and slipped inside to find a small rounded cushion in the center of an otherwise nondescript pod. Someone hadn’t gotten the memo that it was easier for a Jedi to meditate if they had some sort of focal point, had they?

Regardless, she sat herself down on the cushion with her back facing the door and shut her eyes. She tried visualizing at first, but that turned into picturing Anakin’s furious face snarling in front of hers. Staring at the wall made her eyes burn and her head ache. _Really_ ; this was the worst excuse for a meditation chamber. Or maybe she just wasn’t centered enough. Master Windu would likely say that she needed to even out the turmoil inside of her before she tried to settle herself into the Force like that. But Iza didn’t even know how to do _that_ right now. She wanted to go see Obi-Wan and Anakin and ask if they were okay. Did they still love her? Had they truly ripped their bonds from the roots and cast her aside for her mistake? Obi-Wan hadn’t seemed ready to let go—but Anakin, _Anakin_ was so upset. And she hadn’t had a chance to explain before he’d shoved her out. Would he even give her a chance now?

Behind her, the door slid open and before she had the chance to say anything, something hot and _red_ swirled around her in the Force, winding around her and locking her in place. Footsteps came closer and stopped just behind where she sat before the heavy thump of someone dropping down followed and she was hauled back against a familiar chest. That hot, vibrant energy flooded through her without warning and Iza let out a harsh sob, leaning back into Anakin’s chest while his arms wound tight around her shoulders. His head came to rest against hers and he said nothing as he listened to her cry, occasionally turning to brush his lips over her jaw or nuzzle at her ear. When the intense rush of the bond reconnecting had passed, Iza brought her hands up to grasp at his arms and turned to look up at him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, watching him raise an eyebrow.

“You should be,” he pressed his lips together tightly before leaning in to give her a rough kiss. “That was horribly selfish, Iza.”

“I didn’t ask him to do that. I didn’t _want_ him to.”

“You took from Catcher without asking. You didn’t warn him.” _Oh_. “You had no idea what you were doing. You could have done permanent damage to him _and_ to yourself.”

“I just wanted—”

“We know what you wanted, sweetness,” Anakin sighed heavily and shook his head at her. “Obi-Wan told you to wait.”

“I know. I acted on impulse. I shouldn’t have.”

“No—you really shouldn’t have.” He worked his jaw and looked elsewhere in the barren room, looking frustrated. “Obi-Wan needs time to recover from things like that, Iza. He suffers when he takes pain from others.”

“I _didn’t_ want him to take it!”

“And I believe he told you what the consequences of that would’ve been, sweetness,”

“You would really detach from me because of—”

Turning to look at her, Anakin fixed his gaze to hers and held it. He said nothing; he really didn’t have to.

“You shut me out,” swallowing against a new wave of tears, Iza shrank into herself and pulled her knees to her chest. “I still don’t feel Obi-Wan.”

“You must go to him on your own.”

“ _Why did you shut me out?_ ”

“Because I had to repair what you did to him and I couldn’t do that with your fucking _sadness_ leaking into everything!” Balling his hands into fists, Anakin ground his teeth and exhaled harshly through his nose. “If you had not decided to be so selfish—”

“Why are you here? If you’re just going to tell me how fucking terrible I am, why are you here?”

His expression swapped from anger to shock to mild amusement before he was grasping her lightly by the chin and pulling her in for a kiss that she refused at first, then found herself submitting to once the shock wore off. He pressed more of them to her lips, peppering them along her jaw and up over her cheek until he settled his lips against her temple with a sigh.

“Because I love you, you selfish, mouthy, _annoying_ brat.” He grumbled, holding her tighter against his chest. “I love you and I couldn’t go to sleep letting you think otherwise.”

“And Obi-Wan?”

He laughed, nuzzling at her hair.

“He would like to see you. But he did not send me, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“How did you know where I was? You severed the bond.” She felt sick just thinking about that empty feeling.

“Iza, _sweetness_ ,” tilting his head to look at her, Anakin smiled and dropped a kiss to her forehead when she turned to look at him. “You reached out to me. You are a very stubborn woman, you know that? Bond or no bond, you can still find me in the Force if you want to.”

“I _tried_ ,” she insisted, turning in his lap. “I couldn’t feel—”

“Shh,” he kissed her to silence her, brushing the hair off of her face. “Let’s not continue this. Do you want me to take you to Obi-Wan?”

“Is he expecting me?”

“I’m not sure,” Anakin gave a half-smile and shrugged. “Did you reach for him as strongly as you did for me?”

“I kept thinking about how mad you were,” shifting again so she could properly straddle his waist, Iza cupped his face and pouted lightly. “I just wanted to apologize.”

“It’s accepted,” he studied her for a long time before gently pressing his hand to her back to pull her in against his chest. “Do you trust me, sweetness?”

“Of course,” what kind of question was that?

“Would you like to try something with me?” That secret smile of his reminded her of the kind he shared with Obi-Wan when they thought no one was looking. It made something low in her belly heat and spread slowly through the rest of her.

“Are we allowed?” _Well_ , she didn’t know.

“Yes,” laughing, he gave her robes a little tug. “You need to take these off first.”

“I had my clothes on before though.”

“This is… a little different,” he smirked and started gathering the various layers of material with the intention of pulling them all off at once. “You only need to take off the top half.”

Lifting her arms, Iza grumbled as Anakin tugged her robes off over her head and left her in the blacks. Heaving a sigh, she ran her thumbs along the seam to release the pressure seal and peeled off the top half as well, setting it on top of the pile.

“Okay, now sit where you were before.” Helping her to reclaim her spot on his lap, Anakin smiled softly and pulled her flush against his chest. Trailing his fingers down her arms, he laced their fingers together and gently nuzzled his nose across hers. “Kiss me, sweetness,”

He really didn’t need to ask. Leaning in, Iza sealed her lips over his in a soft kiss that sent the same sort of strange tingle across her mouth like when she’d touched her forehead to Obi-Wan’s. The slow slide of his tongue over hers made the brunette groan low and shift closer, and she gasped when she felt the liquid warmth of his Force energy skimming over the top of hers before it twisted around and delved in deep; the bright mix of sapphire and vibrant ruby slowly began turning a gorgeous shade of purple in her mind’s eye and Iza couldn’t help the way she squeezed her legs around his waist.

“ _Anakin_ ,”

“Shhhh,” he smiled against her lips and nestled his forehead in just the right spot, growling as their combined energies began flowing through. “Trust me, Iza,”

She couldn’t respond. The sensation flowing through her was so _different_ than what she’d felt when connecting with Obi-Wan that Iza didn’t quite know what to do other than squeeze his hands and whine. The purple light they’d made together weaved its way in and out of new halls and doorways in a private place built entirely from black stone and stars, illuminating the path to a room at the very center where Iza felt Anakin anchor her in place. It was so strange to sense him here, to feel his fingers on her bared skin when she still clutched his hands tightly in hers—even stranger still when he kissed her again and filled her with such blazing fire that it caused her to shake and whimper. His chest pressed into hers harder and she felt him shift between her thighs to fit himself against her just right, almost shouting into his mouth when he moved his hips up to encourage her to do the same.

Iza felt the sweat sliding down the back of her neck as she worked her hips the way he wanted her to, startled by how sensitive her body had become. It was almost like there was nothing between them at all. The things she saw in her head convinced her that they weren’t even in the same meditation room anymore. He’d brought her to that beautiful, sacred place with him and had buried himself so deep into both her body and soul that she doubted _anything_ could pull him free again. She couldn’t explain how—didn’t _want_ the explanation, really—but she was already so close that she actually _feared_ her own climax. Iza didn’t want it to stop, didn’t want this to end. If she went over, then so would he, and then this would have to all be put away for another time.

“ _Sweetness_ ,” his breath was so hot against her face. “Don’t hold back.”

“ _Anakin_ ,” she let him silence her with a rough kiss but continued to resist the fire rising in her belly.

“We’re not done,” he promised, giving her fingers a tight squeeze. “It’s only in your head. _Let go._ ”

She did.

The light that detonated within her was bright as a sun and scattered with zillions of little glittering stars colored red and blue and purple. It flowed around both of them in a quick swirl of heat and emotion, sliding along the outer edges of their bodies and seeping in through their open mouths as they panted desperately for air. Iza didn’t know which one of them had started trembling, but she felt Anakin struggle to keep his forehead pressed to hers as she sagged into him and whimpered pretty things in a language she wasn’t sure either of them understood. When the sparkling light began to fade, he kissed her again and shook his hands free to roll her onto her back. He broke contact with her forehead when he pulled out of the kiss, a heavy sort of growl rising in his throat when she whined at him in protest.

“Ani,” lifting her hips to help him peel the lower half of her blacks down her thighs, Iza felt little electric pulses spark over every inch of skin that he touched.

“I know, sweetness,” he kissed a path of fire up the center of her torso as he crawled his way up her body, nudging her thighs apart and sinking deep with a throaty groan. Neither of them moved for a long moment; Iza had frozen in place with her back arched up from the floor and her mouth open on a harsh gasp while Anakin hovered over her with one hand braced flat against the floor and his pelvis flush against hers. Only when Iza reached up and gave his hip a nudge with a shaking hand did he move, and he made sure to keep the pace as slow as he could manage when he did.

“ _Anakin_ ,” she couldn’t think of anything else to say other than his name. It was so fucking _intense_ ; she felt unusually sensitive to every touch, like they were of two bodies and one mind. His pleasure was hers, hers was his; so hot so wild. This was nothing like what the usual bond did for her. It was crazy and addictive and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to go back after this. They were both grunting now, occasionally moaning low under their breath. Each combined thrust of their hips struck nerves all up and down their sensitive parts, making them quake and shiver against each other in pure physical bliss. They were like two rutting animals, acting upon primal instinct to fuck like beasts. She was so fucking mindless from it all that she could swear she was back in that gorgeous sacred palace again, surrounded only by shining black stone and shimmering stars and _Anakin_.

“I… I can’t… take anymore…” She whimpered between shivery breaths. She could swear that she saw his lips move when she said it, but hadn’t heard his voice. Above her, the younger Jedi nodded slowly and lowered himself against her chest, grasping for her hands and continuing the hard rolls of his hips.

“Let me have you,” Anakin hissed roughly, smothering her heavy moan with a deep kiss. “Give yourself to me, sweetness,”

The noise that left her then was none other than a full body screaming orgasm, every muscle going tense as steel. Her weight rocked forward, body rising up high from the floor. She was pressed to the younger man from cheek to ribs, her hips practically cemented against his. Only the tenseness of her muscles and the sheer will of her Force energy kept her suspended with him above her. Anakin felt it all. He went with her, stretching out over her frame and letting his full weight lay on her. She quivered with her release and her tightened muscles were more than capable of holding both their weight until she relaxed.

He was beyond caring if he flattened her when she did relax. The hot tightness he’d been enjoying was now pressing him from all sides in a mind blowing manner. It was impossible to hold out any longer at this point and it seemed everything was running out of him and into her: his seed, his fire, his strength. All drained out of him like a tub of water with its cork pulled. He rode out the waves of bliss lost in a land you could only visit for a few seconds after such activities, only it didn’t feel like seconds, more like hours lost between start and finish.

When he came back to himself his cheek was pressed to a sweaty shoulder, and the hot body under him breathed in deep, short breaths of exhaustion. Iza had fallen back to the floor at some point and he must’ve felt impossibly heavy settled atop of her the way that he was. With a grunt, he slid his arm around her waist and rolled onto his back, gathering her against his chest while he too tried to catch his breath.

“ _Cyar’ika?_ ” Oh _boy_ , her voice was rough. In the back of her mind, Iza wondered if the rest of the starship had heard them in here.

“Yes, sweetness?” Anakin was careful as he ran his fingers down her back, knowing full well how sensitive she’d be after a session like that.

“What did we just do?”

He laughed. He couldn’t help it.

“That’s the Runi session Obi-Wan was going to wait to show you,” dipping his head to gently kiss her forehead, he snickered. “But like you— _I’m impatient_.”

“And we’re not going to get in trouble?”

“You will not, no.”

“ _Anakin_ —”

“Quiet,” pulling her closer, he buried his nose in her hair and sighed deeply. “What have we told you about basking?”

“Will you take me to see him?”

“ _Now?_ ” Laughing, Anakin picked his head up to look at her.

“No,” shaking her head, she kissed his chin. “In a while.”

“Yes,” reaching for the pile of clothes Iza had discarded, Anakin tucked it beneath his head and sighed. “I can take you _in a while_.”

“Okay,”

“ _Bask_ , you stubborn thing,” chuckling, he trailed his fingertips in slow passes over her skin, being mindful to stop when he heard her whining and felt her shiver against his chest. “This will take time to come down from, sweetness. Just close your eyes for a little while and rest with me.”

~*~*~*~

“Hello darling,” Obi-Wan looked as though he’d fully expected her visit when Iza stepped into his quarters. Anakin had broken off with the excuse of needing to _check on things with Rex_ , but Iza had a feeling he just didn’t want to get in trouble for what they’d done in the meditation room. The blue eyed man smiled adoringly as he waved his hand at her and motioned for her to sit beside him on the bed. “Come,”

She didn’t know why she felt so hesitant to join him. Maybe because she couldn’t feel the warmth of their bond where it should’ve been. As soon as she got close enough, Obi-Wan extended a hand and pulled her to him, letting out a tiny snort as he buried his nose in her hair.

“The two of you… _I swear_ ,” sighing deeply, he dragged a palm up against her torso and rested it in the center of her chest. “Reach, darling,”

Iza was almost too eager to do so, extending her Force energy out to meet his while wrapping her fingers around his arm in a desperate manner. Feeling the bond slide back into place was just as much of a relief as getting Anakin’s back had been, but she was still so emotionally sensitive from everything that she could only bury her face against the crook of Obi-Wan’s arm and sob. Gentle fingers combed through her hair and cradled her head, but the older Jedi simply let her cry it out. There wasn’t much else he could do. Hopefully this would help to get her back into a much more balanced state where she belonged.

When her sobs had been reduced to nothing more than soft whimpers and the occasional hiccupping breath, Obi-Wan smiled down at her and used his sleeve to dry her cheeks.

“I’m not sure I should let you on the battlefield, darling,” he noted the way she tensed and held a finger up to keep her from protesting. “The only reason I am going to allow it is because Anakin and I will be present.”

“I had to fight Rex in order to secure the frontline, Obi-Wan,” shaking her head, she frowned. “I can’t back out of that.”

“You are… extremely emotionally compromised, my dear,” drawing in a deep breath he let it out in a sigh. “I feel you should stay behind, but you’re right. You cannot back out when you’ve promised yourself to the frontlines.”

“Which one of you broke the bonds?”

Obi-Wan almost flinched at the question. He gave away his uneasiness by looking elsewhere in the room and not answering immediately and Iza had to nudge at him to get his attention again.

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,”

“It was Anakin,” the older man murmured, briefly shifting his gaze to her. “He was rather upset with your actions, darling. I tried to stop him, honest. But he was worried you’d shifted something in me and didn’t want—”

“Do you know how much that _hurt?_ ” Staring at him, Iza felt like crying again. “To have both of you here and then to suddenly not be able to feel you _at all?_ I thought I’d lost you. I thought you’d made good on your threat. I didn’t know what I was going to do, Obi-Wan. I felt so _empty_ …”

“Me too, darling,” his next exhale was shuddery enough to make Iza jerk to attention. “I was not in any state to stop him, or else I would have. Please trust me.”

“Is that why he did a Runi bonding?” Leaning into his chest, Iza rested her head against Obi-Wan’s and nuzzled his chin when his arms went around her. “Because he felt guilty?”

“A Runi bonding?” Tilting his head to look at her, Obi-Wan chuckled softly. “Darling—is that what you two… _oh dear_ ,”

“What? What _oh dear?_ ”

“Darling,” he squinted a little and studied her. “There are several levels of Runi. There are cleansing Runi, like what I’ve shown you. And then…”

“ _And then?_ ”

“And then there’s what Anakin has shown you.”

“What’s the difference?”

Obi-Wan’s face broke out in a wide smile and he tutted softly before kissing her cheek.

“You will soon come to realize the difference, my dear,” snickering, he shook his head a little and quietly cursed his partner. “I’m starting to think I need to put trackers on the two of you. You’re _trouble_ when you’re together.”

“He said he was supposed to wait.”

“He _was_.”

“But he got impatient,”

“It is not hard to lose one’s patience around _you_ , darling,” winking, the older Jedi stole a quick kiss and propped his chin atop her shoulder, giving her middle a gentle squeeze. “In any case, I will not be touching you intimately for the next day or so. I would advise telling Catcher to do the same.”

“Why not?”

“Oh,” he grinned and pressed his lips against her ear as another chuckle rumbled deep in his chest. “My sweet, darling girl. I will _not_ be held responsible for disturbing Anakin’s bond within you. Surely you feel it? Perhaps in the same place it was before but… _stronger?_ ”

Now that he mentioned it, it _did_ feel as though some big cat had gone and laid itself in the space Anakin’s bond occupied in her chest. The beastly thing rumbled and purred contentedly among the other bonds that lived there, but something in the energy felt _feral_ as well. Maybe it was best to heed Obi-Wan’s warning and leave it be. Catcher would be unhappy, but he’d just have to deal with it.

“How did he do that?” She didn’t mean to sound so disgruntled. Iza just couldn’t figure out how the man had been able to take up so much space within her that she hadn’t even noticed until it was pointed out to her.

“You allowed it, darling,” humming quietly, Obi-Wan rubbed the cream colored material of her new tabard between his fingers and smiled fondly. “And _yes_ —I will show you how to do this, too.”

“After we get back to Coruscant, right?” She saw the way he played with the material of her robes and turned her head to gently skim her smooth cheek against his bearded one affectionately. “Do you like them?”

“Hm?”

“The colors. Do you like them?”

“You know I mistook this as my own yesterday,” looking at her from the corner of his eye, he smirked and tipped his head further against hers. “I would have looked quite foolish walking around in something so small.”

“That does not answer my question, _darling_ ,” she knew it probably wasn’t wise to nip at his jaw the way that she did, but Iza wanted her answer.

“I do,” she sensed a rather large, rather _hesitant_ **but** in there somewhere. “Just take care with how you’re presenting yourself, my darling.”

“What does _that_ mean?”

Obi-Wan was quick to turn her in his arms and brush his lips across hers, drawing her tighter against his chest until she let out an uncomfortable sound and pulled at the front of his robes.

“Do not take offense,” he had to be mindful not to kiss her too much or too deeply, no matter how much he wanted to. Anakin’s bond was still settling in and he didn’t want to disrupt it if he could help it. “I only ask that you exercise caution, darling. Minds tend to wander in that place.”

“I’ve already come up with an answer to prying questions,” she murmured back, sounding pouty. “I’ve simply outgrown my Master’s colors.”

“That sounds a lot like you’ve lost respect for him, my dear,”

“Perhaps I have,”

“Even if that is the truth, you cannot go around saying such things at the Temple.”

“Would you be happier if I went back to the—”

“I am happy to see you in these,” nuzzling his nose across hers, Obi-Wan shook his head lightly. “Do not mistake my word of caution as displeasure, Iza.”

“You’re so irritatingly cryptic,” poking her bottom lip out, the brunette shut her eyes as he pulled her in for another quick kiss and huffed out a sigh. “Can’t you ever just _say_ what you mean?”

“I find the new colors very alluring on you, darling,” he smiled and combed his fingers through her hair, shooting her a damn devilish look. “Perhaps almost as alluring as I find the look of _mesh_ against your skin.”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,”

“You want me to be direct, I will be direct,” he grinned and watched her make a face in response. “Do not wrinkle your nose at me. This is what you wanted.”

“It’s part of what I want,” well, if they were going to be direct with one another.

“I know what else you want,” perhaps his voice was a little _too_ rough when he said it, and he most definitely should not have squeezed her the way that he did. “I’m terribly sorry that I cannot give it to you, darling,”

“What will it do?” It was a curious question, mostly. Iza had no idea how any of these things worked, after all.

“The bond needs time to settle, Iza,” it wouldn’t stop him from kissing the side of her face and down along her neck, apparently. “It is rooted much deeper in your being and requires time for adjustment.”

“And we can’t have sex because…?”

“ _Darling_ ,” he laughed against her shoulder and gave her another gentle squeeze around the middle. “While I adore your enthusiasm, please understand that I respect that Anakin has chosen to take up such a deep bond with you and do not wish to interfere.”

“ _Cryptic_.”

“Think of it as having a battle wound, my darling. Something you do not wish to reopen time and time again because it will not heal.” Tracing a fingertip along the scar on her cheek, he smiled. “If you and I were to sleep together now while that bond is still getting settled, _our_ bond could disrupt it and undo his work. Does that make more sense?”

Unfortunately, it did.

Nodding, Iza settled back against him and sighed, shutting her eyes when he kissed the side of her head.

“Don’t look so put out, Iza,” Obi-Wan said softly, skimming his palm along one of her arms. “You should be focusing on other things, anyway.”

“If you’re referring to battle strategy, I never stop thinking about it. I already have a tactical plan in place and I fully intend to pass it off to the Stars first thing in the morning.”

“Oh, well then,”

“ _Soldier_.” She mumbled pointedly.

Obi-Wan tutted and eyed her for a moment before raising a brow.

“Have I lost you for the evening, darling? Are you going to wallow in your upset?”

“I wanted to properly apologize to you,” Iza grumbled, glancing back at him. “I didn’t know I wouldn’t be allowed to. Anakin didn’t say anything about that.”

“Because Anakin is a foolish boy who doesn’t know what he’s done,” humming quietly, Obi-Wan turned onto his side on the bed, taking her along with him. “He understands the bonding process, but he’s unfamiliar with its consequences, I’m afraid.”

“You didn’t teach him?”

“At the time,” he hesitated and looked elsewhere for a moment. “It was not…”

“What if we don’t reach?”

“ _Iza,_ ” the smile on his lips was bright and full of amusement. _Really_ , the girl was damn near insatiable when she got started. He wondered faintly how she’d gone a whole week without having crawled into either of their beds at the Temple. “You should not plead with me this way. You know what it does to me.”

“Can’t we be careful?” _Hey_ —if pleading might get her what she wanted, then she’d try it. “You praised me for how mindful I was yesterday. Perhaps we can try it like that again?”

The fire that ignited in Obi-Wan’s eyes was bright and full of mischief and Iza had a _strong_ feeling that she’d roped him. She still felt a great amount of hesitation coming from him, but at least now he appeared to be giving it _some_ thought. After too many minutes of silence, he heaved a sigh and pressed his lips to the middle of her forehead.

“You are so _very_ dangerous, darling,” still, he skimmed his hand down her side and slipped it up beneath the loose layers of her robes, trailing his fingertip along the pressure seam of her blacks. “I must remember to instill proper _discipline_ into you.”

“Promise?”

“ _Oh— **darling**_ ,” his fingertips sank into her hip to pull her tight against his front as he dipped his head to kiss her, suppressing a soft growl. “ _I promise_.”

“Will that also be when we get back to Coruscant?”

“Perhaps I should start _now_ ,” eyeing her with a slow grin, he chuckled when she whined in return, and gave her backside a light swat. “You object?”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,”

“Quiet,” he stole a quick, dizzying kiss and worked the tips of his fingers between the pressure seam of her blacks. “You focus on keeping yourself centered. I will take care of the rest, darling.”


	18. I'm Built For All The Abuse

Iza hadn’t realized how much she missed being in the thick of the war. Her body felt as though it had gone into sync with the heavy thrum of her lightsaber, vibrating smoothly from toes to fingers to the top of her scalp and everywhere between. She smelled the heady electric pulse of the blaster fire hot in the air around her and weaved through it like a needle while swinging and slashing her way through the onslaught of droids that had been dropped upon them. The core of her being practically sang in victorious delight the longer she fought and shouted tactical commands to her squad over the comm link fixed in her ear with such enthusiasm one might’ve mistaken the whole thing as a _game_ and not a battle.

She couldn’t recall the last time she felt this alive, clipping heads from droids and dodging bright bolts of plasma that skimmed so dangerously close she could sense worry crawling down each of the bonds she held within her. Anakin had fallen into step with her at some point, boots clomping heavily in the dirt to keep pace with her. They moved like mirrored images of one another, stretching out into opposite ends of the fray and appearing to mimic one another’s movements even as they employed different techniques. Anakin, with his dominant, offensive use of Form V, and Iza with her wildly aggressive variation of her Master’s Vaapad technique.

Back to back, they breathed as one, moved as one, utilized one another’s presence as an advantage in the Force. Both drew from one another, sealed up the weak points in each technique, _barreled_ through the oncoming threat while the 501st and the Stars cleaned up the rest. Iza was so _high_ by the time they’d blazed past the third wave that she could hardly stand herself.

“We’ve got more incoming!” Catcher’s voice was loud in her ear when he ran up alongside her and checked her shoulder with his, something he typically did to shake her out of the battle stupor she often fell into. “ _Sir_ ,”

“I’ve got it,” twirling her lightsaber with a smile, she gently knocked her head against his helmet and turned to run off towards where the fourth wave was coming in.

“ _Iza, **wait**!_”

The gentle tug behind her belly confused her for a half-second before Iza blindly reached back and took Catcher by the hand to drag him with her. Shoulder to shoulder, they ran forward—her with the lightsaber at the ready, and him with his blaster rifle clutched in his hands. Iza felt the oncoming fire before it brightened up their line of sight, and yanked Catcher behind her as she deflected the bolts and shoved him down to his knees.

“ _Stay down_ ,” he needed to be smaller than her. A _hilarious_ concept, really.

“Iza—”

“You wanted to come,” grabbing the front of his chestplate, she started marching forward to drag him through the blaster fire and get him somewhere safer. “ _You listen_.”

“Sweetheart,” he laughed dryly when he was pushed behind a rock, turning to get settled in at a better firing angle. “I wanted you to _wait._ ”

“I wait for nothing.”

“You really should’ve,” heaving a sigh, he surveyed the flow of droids coming over the ridge. “It’s smaller, but they’ve got commandos. Lots of them.”

“My favorite,” smiling, Iza turned and placed a kiss to the top of his filthy helmet before knocking her knuckles against it. “Stay here, soldier. Don’t move unless you need to.”

“ _Little Bit_ ,”

“Don’t ruin my fun, Catch,” making a face at him, she backed out of the little hiding space and tapped the side of her head. “Don’t forget to record it. I know how much you love watching me tear these bastards apart.”

He cussed under his breath when she took off like a shot, hesitating for a long moment before patching himself into another comm link.

“General Kenobi,” she was going to _kill_ him. “Keep your eyes out for General Tacor. She’s headed into the middle of that mess.”

“Roger that,” the older Jedi’s voice sounded winded as it crackled over the comm. “I’ve got her.”

“Thanks,”

Iza was fucking _oblivious_ to anything other than chasing around the commandos and taunting them into chasing her. Like a child playing recklessly among a pack of wolves, she ran circles around them and conned them into attacking one another. When one slipped free of her joyous provocations and set its sights on her, she felt a kind of exhilaration run through her she hadn’t felt in _forever_. Leaping back from it when it charged, Iza raised a hand and waited until it was in _just_ the right spot before flicking her fingers upward to lift it from the dirt, a wild look blazing into her eyes as she quickly closed her hand in a tight fist and watched sparks shower from the crumpling bucket of bolts. It was such a _wicked_ feeling to use a power like that; hot and intoxicating.

 _More_. She needed to use more of this power. They could win the whole war this way.

A sudden gust of ice along the Force sent the wrong kind of chill up her back and Iza’s momentary sense of victory became clouded by a sickening fear. The nearby presence was so familiar and it turned her stomach to think that they had the fucking _gall_ to show their face to her again. She felt that coolness reaching out along the edges of her Force signature—silver grey and _sharp_ —trying to sink its way in through the cracks not yet healed from the Runi sessions with Anakin and Obi-Wan. Pushing back against it with everything in her, Iza whirled on her heel and ignited her lightsaber with a holler that rang out through the barren canyon around her. The heavy clash of plasma meeting plasma followed and Iza threw her whole body into shoving back the owner of the twin red sabers.

“ _You **bitch**_ ,” the harsh snarl of her own voice startled her, but not quite as much as the steady feeling of rage rising in her gut. “You’ve got _nerve_ ,”

“You’ve got _fractures_ ,” Asajj’s velvet smooth tone grated on her ears, made that sickness in her stomach even worse. The two women whirled around one another, striking out and parrying while never breaking eye contact. Iza could feel that coldness attempting to wrap itself around her and she fought back harder, pulling from the Force until it made her head fuzzy and weak. Asajj only smiled at her and pressed that icy energy in tighter, leaning in over crossed blades close enough for Iza to feel her breath on her face. “Give yourself up, Little One. You feel it. You feel the pull.”

Iza’s answer was a hard slam of her foot against the center of Ventress’ chest, followed up with a vicious roundhouse kick to the side of her pretty face. Using the momentary advantage, the brunette arced the blade of her lightsaber up in a quick slashing motion and grunted when the hilt of one of the red sabers cracked her straight in the chin. Both women stumbled back from each other, panting and growling like rabid beasts. Iza tasted blood in her mouth and smelled burning flesh in the air. Foul as the stench was, it made her lips curl in a soft, victorious grin.

When Asajj was able to lift her head, she brought into view a brutal looking wound that trailed from her jaw to her temple in a deep curving _C_ shape. Ice-blue eyes stared the older woman down through a haze of rage and pain before she charged with a cry that shook Iza to her core. The Jedi was almost too slow in her movements as she brought her hand up and twitched her fingers _just right_ , catching Asajj mid-lunge and causing the woman to choke and wheeze horribly. Time seemed to have ground to a halt around them as Jedi and Sith stared each other down, their energies twisting and pushing against one another for dominance in the Force while they stood almost completely still.

Iza had the advantage; she quite literally held Asajj’s life in the palm of her hand and a simple clench of the fingers could extinguish it if she so desired. But the more she thought about it, the more that coldness began trying to sink into her and suffocate the beautiful warmth that resided within her chest. This was what Ventress wanted, and she couldn’t have it. Dropping her bodily into the dirt, Iza pointed the end of her lightsaber in the other woman’s wounded face and stepped close enough for the heat to blister the skin.

“ _Yield_.”

“Not to you,” Asajj snarled back, moving to get to her feet. “You will have to kill me— _but you **won’t**_.”

“Neither will you,” spitting blood from her mouth, Iza followed the Sith’s movements with her eyes and clicked her lightsaber off.

“What are you doing?” Ice-blue eyes narrowed lightly in suspicion.

“Fight me for what you want,” hanging the hilt off of her belt, she ignored the chatter in her comm link and reached up to tear the thing out of her ear and toss it aside. “No weapons. No Force tricks. Just bodies.”

Asajj looked like she didn’t know what to make of the challenge. It was hard to say which of them would have the advantage in hand-to-hand; they’d only ever scrapped when Iza was intoxicated and in _delicate_ mental states. She had no idea what the woman was like at her peak out on the battlefield. Perhaps that was what made the challenge so inviting. Powering down her sabers, she reattached them at the back of her belt and rolled her head around on her shoulders with a soft grunt.

“If I win, _you’re mine_ ,”

“ _When_ I win,” Iza had already crouched low in a ready position, green eyes flickering with excitement. “You’ll wish you’d never met me.”

There was no countdown, no blaster shot to signal the start of their grappling match. Iza and Asajj simply rushed at one another, shouting similar battle cries at the top of their lungs that were cut short when their bodies met in the middle. Chests clashed hard, foreheads butting together brutally as they blindly sought out each other’s hands and grasped them hard enough to snap bones. Small as she was, Iza had practiced this dance with Catcher so many times that taking Asajj off of her feet was too damn easy. The other woman was simply too lithe and light and without the Force to anchor her, she stood no chance against the tank-like battering the Jedi gave.

The Sith did not _stay_ down, however. Her resilience was admirable, really. When they’d let go of each other’s hands, Asajj had been the first to throw a punch. Savage and swift, she’d knocked stars into Iza’s vision and drawn more blood with a hard blow against her pretty mouth. Iza came back with rough kicks and armored kneecaps against a soft, unprotected belly; she thought she heard something crack when she shoved her shoulders into Ventress’ chest, but the pain didn’t show when the woman locked her in another fierce grapple.

As blood, sweat and flesh clashed in a bruising dance of power, neither of them seemed ready to quit. It was like they could do this all day and never get tired. Sure, their bodies might eventually give out under the strain, but their spirits would keep them fighting until one of them went down and stayed down. Somewhere in between the hard clash of their foreheads meeting and the harsh way they roared in each other’s faces like animals, Iza felt a shift in the Force. That sinister chill emanating from the other woman had started to coil around her ankles and wind its way upward, attempting to trap her in place. Ripping one of her hands free from Asajj’s grip, she yanked her lightsaber from her belt and jammed the hilt hard against the center of the Sith’s throat, panting hard enough to send flecks of spittle flying through the spaces of her clenched teeth.

“ _Don’t make me_ ,” she warned, feeling a hard tug somewhere behind her navel. She heard someone shouting for her; Obi-Wan. His voice was drowned out by the blood rushing in her ears. “You _lose_. You cheating bitch.”

It was probably best for them both that Iza dropped her lightsaber when Asajj’s broken lips pressed softly to hers in a kiss that stole what was left of her breath. She tasted blood that did not belong to her, felt the hard scrape of teeth that promised a long future of this back and forth savagery between them, and then felt a hot pressure somewhere in her chest before she was knocked clear off her feet and sent flying. The dirt tasted as foul as it smelled when she landed in it, skidding several meters until she came to a rest among scattered droid parts. Her head spun wildly as she rolled over onto her back, groaning miserably at the way her body ached from the move. Dirt and rocks sprayed over her as trooper boots skid to a halt beside her and the muffled garble of someone hollering at her through a helmet filled her ears.

“I’m okay,” she wheezed, reaching to try and grab hold of the blue and white armored arm to pull herself upright. “I’m good,”

“ _Stay down, General_ ,” Rex ordered, putting a restraining hand out to keep her from moving any further.

“I’m not done,” reaching for something else to try and get herself back onto her feet, Iza growled quietly as she twisted onto her belly and started to push up onto her knees instead. She stopped when a set of hands settled against her back and held her still, making her turn her head to see who had the fucking _audacity_ to keep her from continuing a battle. “ _Obi-Wan_ ,”

“Stop, darling,” she could feel him pushing down on her shoulders, trying to get her to lie back down in the dirt. “It’s over,”

“There are more—”

“ _You_ are done,” giving a little nod to Rex to dismiss him, Obi-Wan crouched beside her and brushed the hair away from her bruised face. “Foolish girl,”

“Do not scold me,” turning away from him, Iza huffed into the dirt and pulled away from him. “This is _my_ place, _my_ —”

“Push it out, Iza,” he wouldn’t give her the chance to move out of his reach, snagging hold of her filthy robes and yanking her across the space between them until she rested at his feet. “You know what she’s done. _Push it out_.”

She snarled at him in response, but didn’t fight back. She didn’t want any of the sick coldness settling into her being any more than he did. Sitting up against his legs, Iza shut her eyes and did her best to center herself. It was difficult with so much going on around her; she could feel Catcher’s brightness pulsing along their bond, eager and excited by the victory they were claiming. Obi-Wan’s calming presence was deep here, too, but having him loom over her the way he was made her uneasy. And then there was Anakin. The strongest bond of them all was also the easiest to lose herself in. It whispered things to her that confused her, suggested that maybe Obi-Wan’s advice to lose the coldness was _wrong_. There was nothing inherently dangerous about it, after all. It was just another bond, another tie into the Force. But it was a tie that brought terrible things, powers that she had no business playing with. She’d had a taste of those powers and she knew how delightful they were—

But she was a _Jedi_.

Iza could play the part of a soldier all she wanted, but at the end of the day she had to pack away the violent tools and heavy armor and trade them for the softer things she’d been raised on. She was a peacekeeper, not a killer. Her mind knew it, her body knew it, her _soul_ knew it. The desperate grasp that coldness had on her was trying to twist the voice in Anakin’s bond and convince her that he too, had these conflictions because they already shared so many others. It wouldn’t work.

It took a fair bit of effort for her to clear her core of the chill that had settled in, but once she was sure it had been done, Iza leaned back further against Obi-Wan and breathed out a hard sigh. She hoped the wetness on her face wasn’t blood; she’d be so _very_ pissed off if she’d cracked her skull fighting that bitch.

“Good girl,” his fingers brushed through the hair at the top of her head before he crouched behind her to carefully help her to her feet. “Let’s get you inside,”

“My lightsaber—”

“I’ve got it, darling,”

“The battle,” she couldn’t just _run off_ ; her Squad was out here. “Obi-Wan—”

“We are finished,” gesturing, he shot her a look. “There is no one left to fight, Iza,”

Looking around, Iza saw that he wasn’t lying. There were a few scattered battle droids still scuttling into view, but the battle was as good as done. She wasn’t needed anymore. Hesitantly, she allowed him to start walking her back towards the ship, continuing to survey the ruins around them.

“Where—”

“ _Iza_ , please,”

“ _Where are my men, Obi-Wan?_ ” Digging her heels into the dirt, she refused to let him pull her another step forward.

Tutting at her, he rolled his eyes and gestured off to the side where Catcher could be seen leading the Stars through the wreckage. They all seemed to be in decent shape and good spirits, chattering among themselves while her Commander stared straight through her from behind his visor. A second look around had Iza zeroing in on Anakin talking to Rex with Ahsoka at his side. Blue eyes shifted towards her for a half-second before a pointed look was given and she finally relented, allowing Obi-Wan to continue leading her to one of the awaiting gunships.

“Can I take a look at your injuries, sir?” The medic asked as he came to crouch in front of her, kit at his side.

“I’m not—”

“I’ve got this one, Kix,” Catcher’s playful tone had Iza looking up to find him standing in the entrance of the gunship with his helmet propped on his hip. The Clone looked between the two of them and backed away with his hands up, offering his services to Obi-Wan when the elder Jedi stepped away as well. Setting his helmet on the seat beside Iza, Catcher sighed heavily and crouched in front of her with a shake of his head. “What have I told you about disconnecting the comm link, sweetheart?”

“I couldn’t concentrate with all of the noise in my ear,” Iza watched while he opened the little box beside him and fished out some medical wipes and bacta spray. “You mad, love?”

“No more than usual,” shrugging a shoulder, he eyed her face and clucked his tongue softly. “Fists, Little Bit? Really? _On a battlefield?_ ”

“I wanted it to be a fair fight,” shutting her eyes as he started to carefully wipe the grime from her skin, Iza grit her teeth when he passed over the tender bruises beginning to swell beneath the surface. “She still cheated.”

“Was that her?”

“That was indeed _her_.”

“Hm,” he sprayed one of the pads with bacta and pressed it to her swollen bottom lip. “I pictured someone with a little more _hair_.”

“ _Catcher_ ,” glaring, Iza scoffed at him and leaned back in her seat with a quiet grumble. “You see why I was fooled though, don’t you?”

“I suppose,”

“Are you going to scan me or are you just here to take care of cosmetics?” Watching him look up, Iza didn’t bother hiding the frown on her face and got a short laugh in return.

“Okay Little Bit, I get it. I’m sorry,” reaching into the kit for the medisensor, Catcher dug it out and held it up to her. Neither of them said anything as the pale blue light scanned over her, but one of Catcher’s brows went up high on his forehead as the device began chittering in his hand.

“Well?”

“The only thing that looks concerning is your clavicle. Medisensor says there’s a stress fracture.”

“So I can get up?”

“ _No_ ,” giving her a look, he turned to root through the kit and retrieved a patch. After a moment of just staring, Catcher sucked his teeth and cleared his throat. “You’re going to have to take everything off in order for me to put this on.”

“Catcher— _I can’t_.”

“I know,” making a face, he leaned out of the gunship and whistled through his teeth to get Kix’s attention. “ _Hey—_ what do we do about a fracture?”

“What sort of fracture?” Bounding over, the medic poked his head in and looked at the patch in Catcher’s hand before sighing. “First of all, we don’t use Type Threes for anything more severe than flesh wounds. Give me that.”

Moving out of the way, Catcher got to his feet to let his brother take over, watching the way Iza rolled her eyes and dropped her head back in annoyance. He knew how much she hated being fussed at after a battle and Kix was _the worst_ when it came to getting people patched up properly. It was half the reason he’d opted to do it himself; he wanted to spare the Jedi of the annoyance.

“You did not answer me, Commander,” Kix piped, turning impatient eyes towards the other Clone. “What sort of fracture are we dealing with?”

“Stress fracture on her right clavicle.” Handing the medisensor over, Catcher watched Kix reset it for a second scan. “I know how to use—”

“Multiple stress fractures, three cracked ribs, several dislocated fingers—General, _are you all right?_ ”

Iza didn’t like the way she was being stared at. Glancing between the two, she just shrugged.

“I feel fine,” and she did. Sure, her fingers ached from all of the punching and grappling and _maybe_ it had gotten a little harder to breathe after Asajj had slammed all of that Force energy into her chest. But otherwise, she felt fine. Her face felt like it’d gotten the worst of it, but only because she’d gone the brutish route and used her skull as a battering ram.

“If it’s all the same, sir,” reaching for the kit, Kix dug out a syringe and held it up. “I’d like to give you something for the ride back to the starship. I won’t be able to do much with the equipment here to help your injuries.”

“Will you let me get up if I let you give me whatever that is?” Iza really didn’t want to sit here much longer if she didn’t have to.

“Sir,” Kix shot Catcher a look from the corner of his eye. “If you’re able to walk after this is in your system, you may do whatever you like.”

“Don’t tell her that!” Pushing Kix’s shoulder, Catcher scowled at his brother. “She’ll take you up on that challenge, you know.”

“She’s got you to babysit her, Commander,” Kix snorted, opening a sterilizing pad that he used to wipe the dirt away from a spot on Iza’s neck. “Deep breath, General,”

“That’s not necess— ** _OW_** _!_ ” bringing her hand up to where Kix had just stuck her with the needle, Iza stared at him incredulously and leaned away. She had half a mind to start yelling obscenities at him, but Obi-Wan and Anakin had climbed up the ramp with Ahsoka in tow and looked on expectantly.

“What’s going on?” Anakin looked between the two Clones and raised an eyebrow.

“She’ll need immediate attention once we’re back on board, sir.” Kix chirruped, packing his things back into the kit. “I’ve already sent the order to the droid at the medic bay. They should be on stand-by to receive her once we’ve docked.”

“Okay, but how serious is it?”

“Nothing life threatening,” Kix flicked his gaze from Iza to Catcher, then back to Anakin. “Just keep her where she belongs while she heals and she’ll be fine.”

Anakin had to fight the urge not to smile as he nodded and gave Kix a solid pat to the shoulder to dismiss him. Once he was off the gunship, Iza grumbled from her spot in her seat and dropped her head against the side of the ship.

“Did he have to _drug_ me?” She muttered, watching Catcher come over to take up the seat beside her.

“Little Bit,” he shot her a look. “I’ve seen you try to walk around and give orders with worse wounds than that. _Yes_. This was necessary.”

“I love how he put _you_ in charge,” giving Anakin a look, the brunette had to fight off a smile as she followed his movements through the gunship. The younger Jedi shrugged and grabbed hold of an overhead strap, leaning his weight onto it as he flashed a quick grin at her.

“He’s one of _mine_ , Jedi Tacor,” _ugh_ , the formalities they had to use around Ahsoka. “He knows who to report to.”

“Where are my Stars?”

“On your gunship, Jedi Tacor,” Ahsoka stood with her hands tucked behind her back and a curious look on her face as she studied her Master and his posture. After a long pause, she shifted her attention to Iza and offered a faint smile. “They loaded up just before we boarded.”

“Status? Injuries?”

“They’re _fine,_ Little Bit,” laughing as he gave her knee an affectionate pat that he seemed to second guess when he caught Ahsoka’s gaze, Catcher cleared his throat and tried to pretend he hadn’t done anything out of the norm. “The usual bumps and bruises but nobody is gonna need a trip to medbay when we get back. Not everyone gets as carried away as you do.”

“He does,” jerking her head towards Anakin, Iza couldn’t fight the smile that formed on her bruised lips. Perhaps it was the drugs she’d been given, or perhaps it was just an overwhelming sense of adoration for the Jedi in front of her, but she couldn’t seem to keep from swooning as she sank back in her seat and breathed in a deep sigh. “That was such a rush out there. I’ve never felt anything like that.”

Anakin struggled to save face in front of his Padawan, his lips twitching in an effort not to let his smile get any wider or goofier than it already was. His scarred brow lifted in a quick arch and he let out a bashful sounding laugh as he finally looked elsewhere in the ship, leaning more of his weight into the strap he held onto.

Again, Ahsoka stared at him strangely as she shifted her eyes from him to Iza, who seemed far too preoccupied with gazing up at him dreamily to notice. There was something _odd_ here. She could feel it. She didn’t know what it was—but she could _swear_ it was the same feeling she got when Anakin and Obi-Wan spent too much time together.

“You’re good,” Iza said finally, making a face when she licked her lips and tasted bacta. “ _Ugh_ —Catcher, did you have to use that stuff so close to my mouth?”

“General,” he shot her a look, apparently amused by how _soft_ she’d gone over Anakin and their little battle dance. “If you could see your face now, you’d understand. You’ve got the worst knot in the middle of your head.”

“Well, that’s what I get for not wearing the sunbonnet, right?”

“You really need to _stop_ using your head the way you do,” Catcher made a face at her. “If you’re going to fight with your body like a soldier, at least wear the fuc— _damn_ helmet.”

“Nice save,” Ahsoka laughed and pointed her thumb at Anakin. “He swears _all the time_. You don’t have to bite your tongue around me.”

“Anakin,” Iza gave a look of mock shock. “Shame on you! You mustn’t use such foul language in front of your Padawan.”

“That is so _very_ rich coming from you, my dear,” Obi-Wan snorted, coming to take up the seat beside the brunette. “You’ve got the mouth of a seasoned Trooper.”

“But I hold my tongue in front of the younglings,” she gave Ahsoka a quick look. “ _Not_ that I think of you as such, Ahsoka.”

“Trust me,” Ahsoka folded her arms and cast a quick look at Anakin from the corner of her eye. “I don’t think there’s much you could say that is cruder than the things _he’s_ let slip.”

“ _Snips_ ,” shooting the younger girl a look, Anakin shook his head. He opened his mouth like he might scold her further, only to have Rex and a dozen other men pour in from the loading ramp.

“General Skywalker,” the blond approached slowly, not wanting to interrupt if he could help it. He hesitated as he looked over at Iza and lowered his voice. “We’ve cleaned up. We’re ready to go.”

“How many?” Iza had heard. Every team leader had a code word for gathering their dead and they all thought she wouldn’t know what they were talking about. She always knew.

Rex hesitated again and shot a look at Anakin, who sighed heavily and gave a permissive nod.

“Nine, sir.”

“Too many,”

“ _Little Bit_ ,” beside her, Catcher had laid his hand on her knee again and given it a gentle squeeze. “That is considerably low. Don’t do that to yourself. Not here.”

“It’s unacceptable,” her features had completely shifted from the pleasant daze she’d been in before. There was a hardness to her eyes that was unreadable, but put a sense of warning into all who were present. “I shouldn’t have—”

“ _Hey_ ,” her Commander’s grip on her chin was as gentle as it could be as he turned her face towards his and did his best not to upset the bruises there. “You did your best. You were absolutely _beautiful_ out there, Little Bit. This was not something _you_ could have prevented and you know it.”

“I can always do more,”

“You cannot be in twelve places at once, no matter how hard you wish to be.”

“It’s _unfair_ ,” it was difficult to know whether her personal feelings on the matter or the drugs were making her so sensitive, but Iza was struggling to keep her composure. She didn’t think breaking down in front of Rex and his men was a good idea—especially not when the rest of their audience was so deeply engrossed in their exchange. She saw the way Catcher’s features softened and felt the gentle warmth of his sympathetic energy spread along their bond. She knew what that he wanted to comfort her further, but they couldn’t do that here. Perhaps it would have been wiser to stow away on the gunship with the Stars. At least there, they could be themselves.

“General,” Catcher struggled to get the word out. “We’ve had this conversation. Please do not do this to yourself. You’re wounded enough as it is.”

Leaning her head back against the side of the ship, Iza turned away from him and fixed her eyes on Rex, who looked on with a mixture of sympathy and _something else_ she couldn’t quite read. He said nothing, but gave her a gentle nod of his head before turning to exit the group and find somewhere to sit. The silence was thick in the air during the ride up to the starship, and even though Iza could feel a bombardment of attempts at comfort being nudged along each of her bonds, she blatantly blocked them out. They didn’t seem to understand that this was part of being a soldier for her; she needed to wallow in her losses in order to move past them. Catcher could scold and lecture all he wanted about how this was the purpose he and his brothers had been born into—she’d never accept it.

When they’d docked, she was jarred back to consciousness by a gentle hand attempting to help her to her feet. Anakin took slow steps as he guided her out of the gunship and off towards the medbay. Really, whatever Kix had given her was damn strong. It did almost nothing for the actual pain in her hands and the steady ache in her chest that throbbed whenever she breathed, but it sure as hell made her think less about it.

“Would you like me to stay, sweetness?” The younger Jedi asked as they approached the medic droid waiting to receive her.

“Please?” She wasn’t sure when she’d leaned in so close to him; his robes smelled of sweat and static. Beneath it, that soft smokiness beckoned to her, begging her to nestle deeper into his chest and succumb to the lure of peaceful unconsciousness.

Anakin nodded, smiling fondly before bowing to press a quick kiss to the top of her head. Nudging her towards the impatient looking droid, he sighed as he relinquished his hold on her and followed close behind. He propped himself against the edge of an empty examination table and watched while the droid scanned and fussed over the sleepy looking Jedi, frowning when he felt a quick flicker of curiosity somewhere nearby. Turning, he found Ahsoka standing in the doorway of the medbay, those damn sharp eyes of hers fixed on the scene before her. Surprise decorated her features when she saw she’d been caught and she moved quickly past the doorway, taking with her a feeling of deep confusion.

 _Shit_.

“Sweetness, I’ll be right back,” pushing away from the table, Anakin stalked out of the medbay after his Padawan. “Ahsoka!”

The younger girl stopped in her tracks and turned around, looking the picture of innocence.

“Yes, Master?”

Anakin could feel the anxiety floating around her even as she tried hard to suppress it. Offering a kind smile, he raised both brows.

“Is there something you want to ask me?”

Ahsoka hesitated, blue eyes shifting from his face to the space over his shoulder and back again.

“Master, it’s none of my business,” she shook her head and looked like she was scrambling for some sort of story to give him instead of what was really on her mind. “But is Jedi Tacor always so passionate about how many Clones we lose?”

 _That_ certainly had not been what Anakin was expecting, but he supposed it was better than being asked about the funny way they’d been acting around each other.

“I’m not the one you should be asking, Snips,” he chuckled. “Her Commander would have the answer to that.”

“He behaves strangely around her,” _something_ in her eyes made that statement seem like an accusation meant to be aimed at him. “Are we allowed to permit—”

“Ahsoka,” Anakin’s tone was firm, but not scolding. “ _Most_ Jedi would see their behavior as _out of place_. But—as she so stubbornly likes to repeat—Jedi Tacor is a _soldier_. Her behavior with her Commander reflects the trust and sense of brotherhood that comes along with that.”

“He calls her _Little Bit_.”

“The rest of the Clones have strange nicknames,” Anakin laughed and shrugged. “I imagine that’s what he decided to dub her. She’s quite petite, after all.”

“She looks at _you_ oddly too, Master,” _there it was_. The accusation he’d been waiting for. “I feel such a weird shift in the Force around you two.”

He had a choice to make here. Anakin trusted Ahsoka with a lot of things; the girl was damn good at keeping secrets. She was also far too sharp-minded to keep in the dark for very long if he chose to lie. She’d likely already figured out that his sithspit about Iza and Catcher was—indeed— _sithspit_.

“The Jedi are discouraged from attachments like this, Master,” somehow, Ahsoka’s tone didn’t sound as chiding as he’d expected. She didn’t even sound disappointed in him. She sounded _impressed?_ “How do you manage _two?_ ”

Anakin choked on his next breath and sputtered, staring at her with wide eyes. _How…?_

“Snips,” he cleared his throat and tried to compose himself. “I’m not sure what you—”

“I’ve felt the same shift around you and Master Obi-Wan,” there was no judgement in those curious eyes of hers; just the kind of innocent softness that worried for her Master and what might happen should he be caught with these _attachments_. “It’s a little more subtle—but it’s there.”

Because they’d practiced discipline around one another. In the beginning, the fluctuations had been just as wild as the ones he and Iza experienced now. But Obi-Wan had been quick to advise him against projecting such things out into the Force so openly. They’d done a fair bit of _very annoying_ training of the mindful kind in order to get themselves at the level of control they had now. On occasion, they slipped. Sometimes it just couldn’t be helped. Bringing Iza into the mix had definitely undone a lot of their work as well. They’d get it back to where it needed to be in no time, and Iza would soon have better control over herself too.

“Ahsoka,” taking a deep breath now that he was able to, Anakin ran his fingers through his hair and shrugged. “It takes practice. Like everything. Practice and patience.”

“You know I won’t tell anyone, right Master?”

“Of course I know, Snips,” his smile was soft and genuine. Yeah—if there was anyone in the galaxy he could trust with a secret like this, it was Ahsoka.

“Please be careful,” taking a few steps back, Ahsoka gave a gentle bow and received one in return. “I’ll be in my quarters, Master,”

He nodded and watched her go, unsure if he was relieved or not that she knew. It meant he wouldn’t have to be _as_ careful about his actions towards Iza around her, but he also couldn’t set the example that this sort of thing was _normal_. It wasn’t; Ahsoka knew very well that it wasn’t or else she would’ve kept her curiosities to herself. He and Obi-Wan were going to have to really buckle down and get these loose ends tightened up sooner than they’d wanted to. Iza definitely deserved to enjoy the sweetness of their bonds together, but the danger in allowing this sort of thing to flow freely where others could sense it was too great.

As if suddenly realizing he’d left her in the medbay, Anakin turned and rushed back down the hall. Iza still sat upon her examination table, hands submerged in a small tank of bacta and a _very_ sour look on her face. As he got closer, he noticed her robes had been split up the middle and a large medical patch had been pressed to her skin. She’d pulled the remnants of the robes over herself to protect her modesty, but she kept scowling at the droid whenever it scuttled by.

“Sweetness,” grabbing a chair from nearby, Anakin sat down and watched her turn to face him. _Force_ , her face looked like hell. “You have other robes,”

“It wouldn’t even let me _try_ to take them off,” she muttered, chest heaving in frustration. “I’ll need to replace the blacks entirely. Do you know how pissed the outfitter gets when he gets an order from me?”

“I see the drugs are wearing off,” he smiled teasingly at her and got a hard scowl in return. “ _Come on_ , Iza,”

“What did Ahsoka want? She’s been hovering since we got off the gunship.”

 _Had she?_ Force, he hadn’t realized. He’d been so swept up in trying to get Iza to the medbay that he hadn’t noticed they were being followed. There was a quick moment of panic over the idea that perhaps Ahsoka wasn’t the only one to have seen him be so affectionate with the other Jedi, and he caught the sight of Iza’s fingers twitching in the bacta bath.

“It’s all right,” he assured her, settling a hand on her thigh. “Ahsoka is trustworthy.”

“Like Rex?”

“Excuse me?”

“ _Anakin_ ,” laughing, the brunette leaned her head back against the pillows propping her up and shot him a look. “Rex has known about Catcher and I for… a _long_ time. I told you— _he knows me_.”

Anakin could vaguely recall how desperately Iza had pleaded with the Captain the night Catcher had been removed from her care and how sympathetically torn the man had been. He also recalled being told that Rex let certain things _slip_ by, like Iza’s fondness for sleeping in the barracks. He just couldn’t believe his own Captain had managed to hide these sorts of things from him. The man apparently was far more trustworthy than he’d imagined.

“I don’t want to stay here,” Iza muttered after a moment, still scowling after the droid. “I _hate_ the damn medbay.”

“Sweetness, you need rest. Your hands need to heal and so does the rest of you.”

“They could at least give me another shot.”

“Er—” looking for the droid, Anakin flagged it down. “How safe would it be to give her another—”

“She was administered a light narcotic ten minutes ago. Please give the medication time to work, sir,” the droid trilled, appearing to roll its ocular lenses.

“It’s not _working_ ,” Iza insisted, clenching her teeth.

“Give it another five minutes. If you still insist you’re in pain, I will add a second dose, Master Jedi,”

As Iza started to lift her hands out of the bacta bath, Anakin set his palms over them and shook his head.

“Leave it,” he insisted. “Why don’t you reach for me instead, sweetness? Maybe I can help you sleep.”

“Every time I reach for one of you, I end up in a completely different mood than _sleepy_ , Anakin,” giving him a look, she frowned lightly and sank back against the pillows again.

“In all fairness,” he smiled at her and reached up to brush hair away from her face. “Most of the time when you reach for us, you’re already _in_ that mood, Iza,”

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,”

“Yes?”

“Can we do that again?”

“Do what, sweetness?”

“Fight together like that?” Gazing at him with the same dreamy look she’d had back in the gunship, Iza looked like she wished she could reach out and touch his face. Anakin could almost feel the gentle brush of her fingers against his cheek and it made a warm smile break out onto his lips.

“That was fun, wasn’t it?” He hummed and leaned over, brushing a light kiss to a part of her brow that wasn’t mottled with bruises. “Catcher was right, you know. You were beautiful to watch out there.”

“I’m at my best on the battlefield. I told you.” Giving him a pointed look, she pouted. “Can we?”

“If we find ourselves on a battleground together again, I would be happy to,” his smile became a bit pointed as well before he nodded his head at her. “ _Get some rest_.”

“Reach for me,” she really needed to stop giving him such sweet looks. It did such terrible things to the middle of his chest.

“All right,” shifting so the chair sat closer to the side of the bed, he leaned into it and set his head beside hers on one of the pillows, shutting his eyes as he stretched invisible fingers out along their bond. “Just remember to behave yourself.”


	19. You Bring Out The Worst In Me

“Naboo?” Iza frowned as she sat up between Obi-Wan and Anakin, brushing damp bits of hair out of her eyes. Still flushed and a bit tingly from their romp, she felt somewhat dazed as she shifted her gaze between the two. “What for?”

“We’ve been invited to the queen’s birthday feast,” Anakin shrugged lightly and turned over onto his stomach, moving to prop his cheek against one of Iza’s thighs.

“ _The queen?_ ”

“We’ve been assigned as her protectors in the past,” Obi-Wan murmured, reaching out to run his fingers along her back. “The invitation is not unusual, darling.”

“So just the two of you are going?”

Her tone had both of them lifting their heads to look at her, then at each other, but Anakin sighed first.

“Sweetness,” he pushed himself up on weak arms and sat beside her, leaning into her shoulder to rest his head against hers. “It’s just a dinner party. It will be full of politicians and likely won’t be the kind of fun you think.”

“Then why are you going?”

“Because it would be rude not to accept the invitation,”

“Bit _rude_ to tell me the night before you’re due to depart,” pulling away from him, Iza started to crawl towards the end of the bed when Obi-Wan sprang up and snatched her about the waist, hauling her back.

“ _Darling_ ,” he pressed his face against the side of her neck and gave her a gentle squeeze around the middle. “Why the fuss?”

“Because we have more important things to do.” She wouldn’t look at either of them. “We’re at _war_. There’s no time for… _birthday parties_.”

“Iza,” scooting up alongside the pair, Anakin tilted his head to try and get her to look at him. “It’s only one night.”

She didn’t say anything. She only kept her head turned away and twisted the long ends of her hair around her fingers, fighting to keep from tugging at them while they both watched her closely. After a long moment, Obi-Wan sighed and kissed her shoulder.

“It isn’t what you think, darling,”

“Isn’t it?” She snapped, twisting away from him.

“ _No_ ,” Anakin reached out to try and turn her face towards his and got a solid smack to his hand in response. “ _Iza_ ,”

“Why just the two of _you_ then?” Turning to finally look at them, she did that stupid fluttery thing with her eyes to keep the burning at bay. “Why not Ahsoka as well?”

“We are not the ones to ask, darling,” Obi-Wan frowned deeply when Iza flinched away from the fingers he attempted to brush against her face, grunting lightly in concern. “Are you _that_ bothered by it, my dear?”

“She’s a lonely woman,” the tears fell then, skimming her cheeks and hitting the bedspread with a soft _pat_. “Who knows what _her_ true intentions are with that invitation?”

“Iza, that’s enough,” Anakin’s low growl had her staring at him with those damn sad eyes of hers, but he remained unmoved. “Padme is an old friend. _That’s it_.”

“What am I meant to do, then?” Shrugging, the brunette looked between them again and gave a humorless laugh. “Sit on my fucking hands and _wait_ while you two live it up with a bunch of stuffy politicians and—”

“ _Really, sweetness?_ ” Anakin cut her off and leaned in close, prompting Obi-Wan to lift a restraining hand and hover it between them _just in case_. “You have so little trust in us that you need to be _everywhere_ we go?”

“ **You** were the ones who decided I should!” She batted Obi-Wan’s hand out of the way and leaned in closer, her nose nearly touching Anakin’s. “ _You_ dragged me with you on this starship. _You_ decided that you wanted me with you at all times.”

“It’s _one fucking night_ , Iza!”

“Clearly you’ve already made up your minds, so I don’t know why you’re even bothering to argue with me!”

“I’m arguing because _you_ seem to lack trust that we’ll remain _faithful_ ,” he was really pressing in now, his forehead pushing into hers even as Obi-Wan tried to push them both apart.

“It is not **_you_** that I do not trust!” Shutting her eyes to block him out, Iza sagged lightly and let out a soft sob. Anakin only seemed to push harder, a growl resonating low in his chest when Iza turned her head and pressed her damp cheek to his. “I don’t trust _any_ woman who sets her eyes on you! I _don’t_.”

“You lack _some_ trust if you worry this much, sweetness,” his tone was so flat and emotionless that it was hard to read. Iza hated that; she hated when he sealed himself up and made it impossible to tell how he was feeling.

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,”

“Do not _cyar’ika_ me, Iza,” he shook his head as much as he could and leaned away from her, moving to shift back to his side of the bed and leaving her to stare after him openmouthed. “You do not get to tell us who we’re allowed to see. This was an invitation and we’re going to honor it.”

“ _Anakin_ ,” Obi-Wan’s scolding tone sounded weaker than normal, like he wasn’t entirely on board with the idea of lecturing his partner over upsetting their lover. The younger man had a point, after all. _Several_ points, actually. Iza was displaying signs of mistrust in them, and this sudden jealousy at the announcement of a single stayover was quite peculiar. He wondered if they’d get this sort of reaction if the invitation had come from a man instead.

“Don’t take that tone with me, Obi-Wan,” Anakin scoffed, shooting him a dark look. “You cannot play the neutral party in this. Not this time.”

“You do not need to be so cold,” the older man growled, grunting when Iza suddenly shifted in his arms and pulled away. “Iza—”

“Let her go,” the younger Jedi mumbled, settling down on his pillow. “If that’s what she wants, just fucking let her go.”

“ _Anakin_ ,”

“Do not sit there and pretend that this does not bother you, Obi-Wan!” Turning onto his back with a roar, Anakin glared at the older man. “You cannot hide your feelings from _me_. The sheer idea that she’s questioning our loyalty is weighing heavily on you!”

“We should be working towards a solution, Anakin, not driving her away!” Moving to get to his feet so he could follow after the brunette—who’d taken her clothes from the floor and darted into the next room—the elder Jedi cussed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“Her solution is to have us take her with us to Naboo,” Anakin muttered, rolling his eyes. “You know that’s the _only_ thing besides us refusing the invitation that will make her happy.”

“Then perhaps you should decide which one of those messages you’d rather deliver to Queen Amidala,”

“You’re not serious?” Sitting up, Anakin stared at the older man. “You’re going to give in to her childishness?”

“I always gave in to _yours_ ,” Obi-Wan shot a very pointed look at his partner and pulled his trousers on over his hips. “She is our _bonded_ , Anakin. You feel her pain as clear as I feel it now. What you are doing is _cruel_.”

“It’s cruel of her to accuse us of lacking restraint.”

“All things considered, I do not _blame_ her, Anakin,” Obi-Wan laughed dryly and waved a hand. “Neither of us has any damn restraint around her. _None_. We haven’t since the first night. _Of course_ she’s going to believe that we’re the same way with other women.”

“She should know better,” Anakin looked sour as hell as he started to slowly scoot to the edge of the bed.

“And she _does_.” The older man felt _tired_ as he stared at his partner and sighed again. “But she has every right to have mistrust in other women. We are not exactly innocent about trusting her around other men. _You_ especially.”

“Most of the other men she sees now are Clones,” moving to grab his pants off the floor, Anakin made a face. “And she’s usually with Catcher when she’s with them.”

“And I’m sure if she had the security of knowing Ahsoka was going to be with us, then she likely wouldn’t be so upset— _would she?_ ”

Anakin didn’t answer. He just swore at himself and rubbed a hand over his face before getting up from the bed to storm into the next room. Iza sat on one of the cushy chairs with her face buried deep in the pile of robes she’d gathered from the bedroom floor, shoulders shaking as she sobbed into the material. Coming over, he crouched beside the chair and hesitated before resting his hand against her back.

“Sweetness,” he wasn’t surprised when she twisted out from beneath his touch. “Iza, look at me,”

“ _No_ ,” Iza pressed her face harder into her robes and sucked in a shivery breath.

He had a feeling he was going to regret this. Leaning in until his chest pressed against her back, Anakin began pressing soft kisses all along her arms and shoulders, even as she whined and tried to curl away from him into the chair. It wasn’t until he managed to slip his arms underneath her and pull her away from the arm of the chair she was clinging to that Iza started physically protesting, smacking at his hands and pushing her feet against the floor to try and knock him back.

“ _Sweetness, **please** ,_” he didn’t want to hurt her, but she was coming damn close to hurting him with the way she kept throwing her limbs around like that. “Iza just let me talk to you!”

“ _Why?_ ” She choked, dropping her head back on his shoulder with a whine. “Why would you believe I lack trust in _you_ , _cyar’ika?_ ”

“You’ve never shown an ounce of jealousy before,” turning to sit in the chair, he hauled her back onto his lap and grunted when she twisted in his arms. “Why now?”

“I _know_ about you and that woman, Anakin!”

He tensed for a half second before forcing himself to relax.

“I was… young, Iza.”

“ _Sithspit!_ ” Iza pounded a fist against the arm of the chair and sagged into him with a loud whine. “It’s the _only_ reason she’s invited you.”

“You’re so sure of that,” he frowned at her and narrowed his eyes when she twisted to look at him. “You’ve forgotten that Obi-Wan has been invited as well.”

“ _Formalities_ , my love,” she swallowed hard and breathed heavily through clenched teeth. “I’m not blind. I know how to see through the secret pinings of another woman.”

“You’re reading into this far too much,” leaning in to gently rest his forehead to hers, Anakin growled when she tried to turn away from him. “ _Iza_ ,”

“Do you love me, _cyar’ika?_ ”

“You know I do.”

“Will you promise to return to the ship once the festivities are over?” She knew she was asking a lot; too much, probably. But she really wanted to go the selfish route of forcing their hands in order to bring her with them and _something_ told her that might do far more damage in the long run.

“Will that satisfy you?” He asked, nudging her chin so she’d look at him again. “If we only stay through the party and return to you, will you stop your nonsense?”

Iza nodded and got a soft _tut_ before he muttered something under his breath and kissed her between the eyes.

“You’re so fucking _annoying_ , sweetness,” continuing to dust kisses over her face and down to her lips, Anakin almost crushed her mouth beneath his when he got to it. “You’re so selfish, so _spoiled_.”

“I can’t help it,” finally allowing him to rest his forehead to hers, Iza slowly started to lean into him. “The idea of another woman being near you burns me up.”

“You know how _I_ feel now,”

“I’ve always known, Anakin,” laughing quietly, she let out a soft noise at the next hard kiss and lightly ran her fingers down the side of his face. “You are not the only possessive man in my life.”

“Mm,” he smiled faintly and threaded his fingers into her hair, giving the tiniest tug to the roots just to hear her gasp. “Are you this ridiculous when it comes to Catcher?”

“Worse,” she shrugged and smiled. “I have to worry about more than just pretty women trying to take him from me. I get it from him.”

“That is not something to be proud of, darling,” Obi-Wan snorted from the doorway, smirking as he looked on at the two. “He is right—you’re terribly spoiled.”

“You were supposed to break her of that, Master,” Anakin muttered accusingly, resting his chin atop the older woman’s head. “Instead you fed into it and made it worse.”

“She will learn,” sighing heavily, Obi-Wan turned a hand up. “I’ve rechecked our invitation. It seems we’re allowed guests.”

Anakin hoped Iza wouldn’t see the look he was shooting the older man. No such luck.

“What is _that_ face for?” Leaning away, she frowned hard. “ _Anakin_ ,”

“You’re welcome to go if you like, sweetness,” looking very much like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t, he tried to squeeze her to his chest again and grunted when she pulled against his hold. “Iza,”

“Did you know?”

“Did I know what?”

“Did you know about _that_ portion of the invitation?”

He heaved a sigh and once again, gave Obi-Wan the kind of look that should’ve struck the man dead. Obi-Wan looked unfazed as he stood with his arms folded and an expectant look on his face, like he too wanted to know if the younger Jedi knew about the _plus one_ part of the invitation.

“Are we not allowed time away, Iza?” This was the _wrong_ thing to ask.

Shoving his arms off of her, Iza grabbed the pile of clothes off of the chair and started for the door, only to have Obi-Wan sling his arm around her waist and stop her.

“Darling,” he pulled her to him and tried to tip her chin up. “Center yourself,”

“Fuck off,”

“I’ve done _nothing_ , Iza,” he actually looked a little hurt at the way she snapped at him. “Do not take your anger out on me.”

“What did I tell you about _lying_ to me?” Dropping the wad of clothes in her hands, Iza bent to start pulling things back on, occasionally dragging the back of a wrist across her eyes. “ _What did I say, Obi-Wan?_ ”

“The _shit_ wasn’t going to fly.”

“And what has he done?”

“Are you _really_ going to do this, Iza?” Anakin had gotten up from his spot and crossed the room, looming over the two as he stared down at the brunette. “After everything, you’re going to throw a fit—”

“ _Why wouldn’t you want me to go, Anakin?!_ ” She got up into his face much like he’d done with her, though she had a harder time _reaching_ his face. “You need only ask for your time away from me! _You do not need to **lie**!_”

“ _This_ is why I didn’t tell you!” He jabbed a finger in her face and leaned down enough to make Obi-Wan shove his hand between them again. _Honestly_ , these two were terrifying to watch. “Because I knew you’d take it personally!”

“How am I meant to take it?” Iza’s chest heaved as she stared at him, eyes filling with new tears. “If the roles were reversed, how would _you_ feel, Anakin?”

He didn’t say anything, but that mean look stayed fixed on his face even after she scoffed at him and continued to pull her clothes back on.

“That’s what I fucking thought,”

“What is it you want from me, Iza?” Anakin asked in a low voice, turning his hands up at his sides. “Do you want me to let go?”

“ _What?_ ” Iza dropped her belt and stared up at him in horror.

“ _Anakin!_ ” Obi-Wan looked just as horrified as he stepped between them. “What is the matter with you?”

“She clearly does not have the same amount of trust in us that we do her, she believes me to be nothing but a _liar_ —what would you have me do, Obi-Wan?”

“You’ve given her a reason to believe _both_ of those things, Anakin!” It wasn’t often the older man yelled like that, but when he did—it was quite intimidating. “You lied to _me_ about that invitation! This would not be happening if you’d only been honest in the first place!”

“I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d cater to her whining,” Anakin ground his teeth together and huffed out a breath. “ _One_ night away is not much to ask for.”

“It is when it’s to spend a night with someone you’ve _fucked_.” Iza’s hand nearly dented the door panel when she slapped the button down to open it, rushing out before either of them could snatch hold of her.

“Look what you’ve done,” Obi-Wan reached out to stop the door from closing. “ _Dammit, Anakin_ ,”

“That’s what she wants you to do, you know,” the younger Jedi muttered in that damn unreadable tone of his. “She wants you to play the hero and make me look like the asshole. I _know_ what I’ve done, Master. But it’s _one night_.”

“With Padme,” blue eyes were accusing as they fixed on Anakin’s face. “Whom I’d love to believe is an innocent party, but we both know better.”

“I wasn’t going to—”

“Would you have resisted?” Obi-Wan asked, raising an eyebrow. “Would you truly have resisted her advances, Anakin?”

“Does Iza know _why_ you’re so obsessed with Mandalorian culture, Master?” Anakin could throw around accusations, too. “Have you mentioned your particular fondness for their _duchess?_ ”

“You watch your fucking mouth,” pointing a finger up at the younger man, Obi-Wan looked as though he could’ve punched him in that moment. “Things are _different_ now, Anakin. This is not the same kind of partnership we had with Aayla. I would’ve thought _you_ of all people would have recognized that by now.”

“I recognize that she’s a spoiled brat.”

“ _You_ picked her. _You_ were the one who expressed a fondness for her.”

“And here _you_ are, wrapped tight around her little finger.” Folding his arms over his chest, Anakin scowled down at the older man. “You might want to run after her before she makes it to Catcher.”

“I’m not done with you,” jabbing his finger at Anakin, Obi-Wan let out a soft growl and turned to stalk out of the room. It wasn’t hard to find Iza. All he had to do was follow where the sense of heartbreak was the strongest. Thankfully, it seemed she’d opted not to run straight to her Clone; the last thing Obi-Wan wanted to deal with was that man’s rage. When he’d reached her quarters, he hesitated outside of the door and knocked. “Darling?”

“ _Go away!_ ”

“It’s just me,” he didn’t know if that would help. There was a long bout of silence on the other side of the door before he heard the lock disengage and it slid open, revealing the scarlet-faced brunette on the other side. She didn’t say anything, just turned and walked back into her room which he noticed had been all but destroyed. “ _Darling_ …”

“I feel his hatred towards me,” she sniffed, sitting down hard on the edge of her wrecked bed before she searched beneath it for something. “It _burns_.”

“Anakin does not hate you, Iza,” moving to sit beside her, Obi-Wan frowned when she produced a bottle of some kind of liquor. Part of him wanted to take it from her, but he refrained. “He is just as upset as you.”

“Is he?” Her green eyes looked dull when they shifted to him. “Because I feel the way I did when he tore the bonds free.”

“Has he done it again?”

“No,” taking a long drink from the bottle, she cringed and rested it against her knee. “But he’s blocked me from reaching out to him.”

“He does that,” rolling his eyes like he was well acquainted with the way Anakin’s own tantrums worked, Obi-Wan tentatively reached over to pull the brunette closer to him. She surprised him when she dropped the bottle in her hand and threw herself at him, pressing her face into his chest and letting out a hearty sob that made his gut clench. “Oh, my darling,”

“Please don’t let me go,” she begged, clumsily trying to crawl into his lap. “Please don’t let him—”

“ _Hush_ ,” gathering her close, he pressed his lips to her forehead and rubbed his hands along her back. “Nobody is going anywhere, darling. I promise.”

“It _hurts_ , Obi-Wan,” dropping her head to his shoulder, Iza clung to him tightly. “It hurts so much,”

“I know it does, darling,” he sighed as he ran a hand up the back of her neck and into her hair. “He will come around. Anakin is not… I daresay he’s not accustomed to having someone feel so strongly that they’d try to prevent him from doing something.”

“Not even you?”

“If you have not learned by now, my dear, that I prefer very much to _give_ others what they want—” he smiled against her ear before he kissed it. “I feel the way you do at times. I _do_. I suppose I’ve just gotten better at hiding it.”

“Am I wrong for not wanting him to see that woman?”

“I believe you should allow him the freedom to make the choice, Iza,” pulling back to look at her, the older man sighed quietly and brought his hand up to wipe her tears away with his thumb. “He loves you. His history with Padme does not change that.”

“He’s not going to let me attend.” She leaned into the knuckles he brushed down the side of her face and shut her eyes a little. “He’ll only fuss at _you_ if you insist.”

“I believe he’s already made a deal, has he not?” Tilting his head, the older Jedi raised an eyebrow. “We are to return to the ship after the party?”

“I doubt he’ll want to adhere to that anymore.” Shrugging, Iza tried not to let her face screw up and turned away from him. “I’ve completely—”

“ _Do not_ ,” Obi-Wan commanded, holding her tighter as he rested his head to hers. “He is just as guilty. You both are behaving like children.”

“I would behave the same way over you,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “You must remember it is not only Anakin my heart belongs to, Obi-Wan. I love you just as deeply.”

“I know you do, darling,”

“I just…” Iza trailed off, breathing out a quiet sob. “I don’t want to lose him, Obi-Wan,”

“You will _not_ , Iza,” rubbing his fingertips against her scalp, Obi-Wan wished like hell he could instill a better sense of security within her. “Anakin just needs his moment to be upset.”

“And if he doesn’t come around?”

The older man tensed, which made Iza panic. A heavier sounding sob escaped her and she buried her face in his neck before he had a chance to even try and comfort her. It wasn’t that Obi-Wan believed that Anakin could ever truly drop the brunette like she was nothing more than garbage; he just hadn’t given the idea any thought _at all_. He knew Anakin to be very forgiving. The boy had his moments like these where it seemed as though nothing could get through to him and had a tendency to be quite _dramatic_ about it as well. He was so used to this being all for show that he never entertained the idea that any of it could be permanent. Shaking his head to clear it, the older Jedi tucked his face against the top of Iza’s head and rubbed his hand down along her back.

“Iza, darling,” he whispered, pushing as much soothing energy along their bond as he could, hoping to the stars she hadn’t blocked him out. “He _will_. He always does.”

“Will you stay?” She pleaded, which confused him for a moment.

“Stay?”

“Here. With me.”

“Tonight, you mean?”

She nodded, sniffling hard. Obi-Wan kissed the side of her head with a nod and moved to lay them both down along the bed.

“Of course, darling,” he could deal with Anakin later. The boy needed time to cool off and think about his actions, anyhow. “Just try to relax. I know it’s difficult, but _try_ —for me.”

“Okay,” she said tearfully, giving another slow nod.

Smiling faintly, Obi-Wan leaned in and rested his forehead to hers.

“That’s my girl. Just close your eyes and breathe with me. Everything will be all right, darling. _I promise_.”

~*~*~*~

“You were supposed to quit,”

Anakin turned where he stood on the observation deck and snorted at Obi-Wan as he approached, flicking a careless hand up before reaching to put his cigarette out. Yeah—he _had_. At least until he’d realized how much Iza enjoyed the faint smell of it on his clothes. Sometimes he just lit them so the smell would linger on his robes, but tonight had been the first time in three years that he’d actually had one. He’d needed _something_ to take the edge off after that argument and honestly, he could’ve smoked through the whole packet and it wouldn’t have helped.

“Are you here to scold me about old habits?” His eyes followed Obi-Wan’s movements as the older Jedi came to stand beside him, waving smoke out of his face as he approached.

“You’ve truly hurt her this time, Anakin,” Obi-Wan kept his gaze pointed out of the viewing port, taking a deep breath and shaking his head. “She’s terrified you’re falling out of love with her.”

“ _Sithspit_ ,” he needed another cigarette if he was going to listen to this. Reaching back for the packet, Anakin tapped one free and started to park it between his lips when Obi-Wan snatched it away. Growling, he turned to glare at the older man and waved a hand. “Do you mind?”

“I do, yes,” crumbling the thing between his fingers, Obi-Wan dropped the remnants on the table and fixed him with a hard look. “You need to take this seriously, Anakin.”

“You make it sound like I’m cracking jokes, Master,” he didn’t dare try to take another one from the packet. Obi-Wan would likely crush the whole damn thing. “She’s not the only one who’s hurt.”

“And she’s aware of it.”

“It’s not fair of her to accuse me of things _before_ they happen,”

“No, it is not,” a pointed expression crossed the older man’s face. “But it was also unfair of you to withhold information from _both_ of us.”

“I haven’t seen Padme in two years, Obi-Wan.” Moving to drop down in one of the nearby chairs, Anakin propped his cheek against his knuckles and huffed out a deep sigh. “I wanted to spend time with _my friend_ without having laser bolts aimed at my head all night.”

“And instead of being responsible enough to tell her that, you lied to her. You lied to _me_ , Anakin.”

“It was not my intention.” Tapping his fingers against the arm of the chair, Anakin glared out of the viewing port and ignored the look he was getting from Obi-Wan. “We cannot allow her to dictate who we see, Obi-Wan.”

“I do not believe she was trying to do that, Anakin. I believe we chose a poor time to tell her about the party and, perhaps, you should have been _honest_.”

“I _get it_ , all right?” Pounding his fist against the chair, the younger Jedi finally looked up and scowled. “But I knew she was going to fuss either way. She would have insisted on going and would not have given me any privacy.”

“You’re so sure of that?” Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. “Is that because those are the actions _you_ would take, my dear friend?”

Anakin fell silent. The look on his face said enough.

“She said multiple times that it was not _you_ she was worried about, Anakin.” Taking up the seat beside him, Obi-Wan rubbed at his chin and studied the other man. “You still chose to hear what you wanted.”

“She doesn’t need to worry about Padme,” Anakin mumbled with a shake of his head. “Even if she has not moved on from me, _I_ have moved on from her.”

“Have you?”

“ _Have **you** moved on from Satine?_” Fuck it. If they were going to throw punches, Anakin would throw the lowest of blows he could. “Does Iza know that’s why you resisted her so hard? Because of how destroyed that woman left you?”

“I told you before to watch your mouth, Anakin,” for as calm as he looked, Obi-Wan sure sounded like he was about to come over the little table between them and strangle his partner. “You’ve got no right—”

“And _you_ have no right to question _me_.” Standing quickly, the younger man tapped a second cigarette from the packet and stomped away before Obi-Wan had a chance to take it from him. Getting it lit, he drew in a deep drag and exhaled the smoke with a heavy growl. “I have no feelings for Padme.”

“Then you’ve got no issue with declining the invitation?”

“ _What?_ ” Turning on his heel to stare at Obi-Wan like he’d grown a second head, Anakin let out a dry laugh. “You’ve got to be _kidding_ me?”

“Do me a favor and unblock the bond you hold with Iza. Reach out to her and tell me the things you feel.”

“I don’t have to. I haven’t been able to keep her from bombarding me with her misery since she left the damn bedroom.” Looking elsewhere, he took another drag and exhaled through his nose. “I can only shut out so much. She’s very… _loud_.”

“Would you like for that pain to get louder, Anakin?”

“That is unfair,” pointing the cigarette at Obi-Wan, Anakin stalked forward and glared. “You’re playing into her hand, Obi-Wan. It is a simple _party_. We are _guests_. I will not be misbehaving and she ought to have better faith in me than that.”

“Again—it is not _you_ that she doesn’t trust.”

“She doesn’t even _know_ Padme,” rolling his eyes, Anakin gave a dramatic wave of his arms and laughed. “She has no right to judge her either.”

“So, perhaps you should allow them to meet.”

“ _No_ ,” again, that cigarette was pointed in the older man’s direction. “ _No, no, **no**._ You will not force my hand, Obi-Wan. We are allowed—”

“We are allowed many freedoms, Anakin,” finally reaching out to take the smoldering cigarette, Obi-Wan eyeballed it before bringing it to his lips for a deep pull, exhaling slowly before he mashed it out into the little silver tray on the table. “Some of which we _should not have_. If you intend to hold onto Iza as tightly as you planned, you must be prepared to share those freedoms as you shared them with _me_.”

“I hate you,” Anakin snapped, practically throwing himself back down into the chair.

“You do not,”

“ _Sometimes_ ,”

Heaving a sigh, Obi-Wan moved to park himself on the arm of the chair, eyeing the younger man for a long time until Anakin caved and finally looked up at him.

“ _What?_ ”

“Are you going to go tell her she’s coming with us?”

“You fucking—” grunting as he was cut off by a hard press of lips against his own, Anakin growled low into Obi-Wan’s mouth and reached up to give a good tug to the older man’s hair. He hated the taste of the cigarette smoke on his tongue; hated the taste of it on Obi-Wan’s breath even more when he chuckled into his mouth before pulling back. Still, he couldn’t keep from drawing his bottom lip into his mouth to give it a sharp bite. “You really are a bastard, you know.”

“Of course,” shrugging nonchalantly with a smile to match, the older man gave him a pointed look. “ _Go_.”

Anakin rolled his eyes and moved to get to his feet.

“ _I’m going_.”

~*~*~*~

Iza was _very_ confused when she awoke to the heavy smell of cigarette smoke in her bed. Even more confused when she rolled over to find Anakin sprawled out beside her, lazily twisting a lock of her hair around a finger. He seemed deep in thought and didn’t appear to realize she was awake until she stirred against him and drew his attention. Neither of them said anything for a long moment before he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. He tasted like tobacco; the flavor wasn’t entirely offensive, but it was strong. She supposed he’d find the boozy taste on her tongue to be equally surprising, but perhaps not. He knew what her vices were. She’d never expected him to be a closet smoker, however. The longer he kissed her, the more alluring that deep smokiness became and Iza found herself nearly purring and running her fingers beneath the front of his tunic, earning her a smile against her lips.

“Really?” He teased, tracing the point of his tongue along her bottom lip. “You like it _that much?_ ”

“Where’s Obi-Wan?” She wasn’t going to stop kissing him. That taste was becoming too addicting to stop.

“Around,” pulling her closer by the hip, Anakin kissed her in his usual, dominant manner and groaned softly into her mouth when she gently scratched her nails against his chest. “We should talk first.”

“Do we have to?”

“It’s good news, sweetness,” pulling back from her just enough to look at her, Anakin brushed the tip of his finger over her chin and smiled. “You’ll come with us and you will get to meet Padme. I only ask that you allow me time to visit with my friend.”

Iza looked just a _little_ skeptical, but the soft touches to her face were slowly starting to goad her into giving in. Honestly, it was an offer she couldn’t afford to pass up. She didn’t care for the idea of a fancy party full of politicians and royal folk. She didn’t even want Anakin to think she _needed_ to be there for surveillance reasons. She’d only wanted him to be as honest and open with her as she was with him; it truly hurt that he hadn’t at least _told_ her she’d had the option to come with him. Accepting the next round of soft kisses he pressed to her lips, the brunette finally caved and nodded.

“Okay,” tilting her head to encourage him to trail his mouth to his favorite spot on her neck, the brunette combed her fingers through his hair and whined when he rolled her underneath him.

“I’m sorry, sweetness,” his teeth were surprisingly gentle as they grazed over her skin, hands slow and explorative as he slipped them beneath her loose robes. “I’ll be more mindful next time,”

“Me too,” she arched up into his palms as they smoothed over her breasts, sliding her hand out from beneath his tunic to grasp the waist of his trousers and pull him in closer. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be so—”

“ _Hush,_ Iza,” sliding his hands out to gather the layers of material she wore, he carefully started tugging them off and tossed them over his shoulder when he’d gotten her free. Bowing his head, he nuzzled at the side of her neck and kissed his way along her chest, palms coming up to cup and squeeze her breasts, pushing them together to make it easier for him to tease her with his mouth.

“You were smoking,” _Force_ , she loved the way he paid attention to her tits like that.

“You were _drinking_ ,” looking up at her with a playful smirk, he gave a tug to one of her nipples with his teeth. “Does it bother you, sweetness?”

“ _No_ ,” she shook her head and reached to brush the hair away from his eyes. “Not at all.”

“Don’t get used to it,” letting go of her chest, he crawled back up over her and nudged her thighs apart with a knee to settle between them, groaning quietly when she combed her fingers back into his hair and tugged. “It’s not a habit I intend to pick up again.”

“That’s fine,” nudging her hips up into his, Iza pulled him down for a hot, dizzying kiss. She seemed unable to help herself as she drew his tongue into his mouth and sucked slowly, making him growl and press closer, pushing her into the mattress. He breathed in soft, quick puffs when he pulled back from her, raising an eyebrow at her slowly.

“ _Really?_ ” He seriously needed to clear his throat.

“I like the way it tastes,” she poked her bottom lip out, squeezing her thighs against his hips when he dipped his head to nip at it.

“ _Once in a while_ ,” he smiled slowly and rocked his hips into hers, stealing more deep kisses. “But only when you behave, and _only_ if you promise not to tell Obi-Wan.”

“Tell Obi-Wan _what?_ ” Her innocent tone caused him to growl which, in turn, made her smile and give a little tug to his tunic. “Can I have this when we’re done?”

“You may,” resting his forehead to hers with a quiet hum, Anakin caught her bottom lip between his teeth and nibbled gently. “Hey,”

“Hm?”

“ _I love you_.” Perhaps it was a little out of place to say it so sweetly while he was perched on top of her, grinding on her the way that he was. But Anakin found that he hadn’t been able to help himself. There’d been an uncontrollable _need_ to tell her, to make sure she _knew_. He didn’t want their fight to be resolved solely by sex alone. They both deserved better than that.

“I love you too, _cyar’ika_ ,” nuzzling her nose against his, Iza closed her eyes a little and slid her arms over his shoulders, sighing softly into his mouth when he kissed her again. She wasn’t used to him saying it first out of nowhere. It was a nice surprise, really.

“How would you like to do this, sweetness?” He flashed a wide smile when she opened her eyes again and stared at him in confusion. Kissing the end of her nose with a chuckle, Anakin poked his tongue out from between his teeth and quirked a teasing brow. “Would you like to keep going like this or would you prefer something… deeper?”

“ _Anakin_ ,” she didn’t know why that made her cheeks heat as much as they did.

“Iza,” he laughed and kissed her cheek. “I’m asking if you want to _Runi_. You’ve got filth for brains.”

“Like this,” no, she wasn’t going to acknowledge that cheeky comment at all. She was just going to pull him closer and bury one of her hands in his hair. “Just us, without the Force.”

“All right,” nodding, Anakin leaned in and kissed her slowly. “ _Just us_. Without the Force.”


	20. Faces From My Past Return

“ _Ani!_ ”

They’d been here five minutes and already Iza wanted to leave. Naboo was gorgeous. The architecture was beyond anything Iza had ever seen before, and the lush greenery that had greeted them on the descent into the atmosphere had been absolutely breathtaking. But the people milling about this party looked unimpressed by her plain appearance in her Jedi robes. Her companions were dressed in the same manner, so she didn’t understand why _she_ was the one receiving such looks. And then there’d been the shout from across the room. The one that had set every nerve ending she had on edge. She’d felt Obi-Wan’s hand come down on her shoulder before she had a chance to start seething and she almost smacked him for anchoring her to her spot.

“Padme!” Anakin stepped forward to receive a hug from a petite woman in a brilliantly decorated gown and a _very_ intricate looking headdress who seemed to only notice him at first as she smiled up at him brightly.

“It’s been a long time,” she breathed, looking him over shamelessly. “Have you gotten _taller?_ ”

“Might have,” he smiled back and almost flinched at the way she touched the scar on his face.

“That’s definitely new,” humming as she traced her finger over it, Padme seemed to notice the other Jedi standing off to the side and cast a warm smile at them. “Obi-Wan, you’ve come! And you’ve brought… a friend?”

“Uh—she’s _my_ guest, actually,” Anakin clarified, watching the way the older woman’s brows twitched in light confusion. “Padme, this is Jedi Iza Tacor,” reaching out to take Iza by the hand and pull her over, he parked her in front of the other woman and gestured, “Iza, this is my friend, Queen Padme Amidala.”

“M’lady,” giving a polite nod of her head, Iza quite blatantly curled her fingers around Anakin’s and smiled. “The happiest of birthdays to you,”

There was a nudge along one of her bonds. _Obi-Wan_. It warned her not to play this kind of game, _especially_ in front of Anakin. Relaxing, she softened her smile to something a little more genuine and felt Anakin squeeze her fingers.

“Thank you,” Padme’s brown eyes flicked from Iza to Anakin, one drawn brow lifting lightly on her heavily-makeup’d face. “It’s a pleasure, Jedi Tacor.”

“Iza,” tilting his head to look at her, Anakin cast a soft smile at her. “Why don’t you and Obi-Wan—”

“You’ll find refreshments in the main hall,” Padme interrupted, making both Jedi turn to look at her. She smiled sweetly enough, but Anakin could see something strange in the look in her eye. “Please help yourselves.”

“Don’t you want something, Anakin?” Iza wasn’t quite ready to let him go yet. She saw the look on the other woman’s face too; she didn’t like it. Letting out a soft laugh to hide as much of her anxiety as she could, she tried not to clench her fingers around his too tight. “So quick to run off,”

Okay. He could stand to wait a little longer. At least put her at ease that he truly wasn’t here to get into any shenanigans with the woman who stood before them.

“I suppose a drink couldn’t hurt,” he was going to have to let go of her hand before she ended up breaking his fingers. “You said the main hall?”

“Yes,” nodding, Padme looked between the two again and gestured before leading the way, occasionally glancing behind her as if worried Anakin had stopped following.

“ _Sweetness_ ,” he kept his voice to a soft whisper as not to attract attention, but Anakin already sounded a little frustrated. “We discussed this.”

“ _We just got here_ ,” she muttered back, looking over when Obi-Wan came up alongside her. “One would think she’d have more important things to do than sweep you away.”

“Iza,” Anakin shot her a look. “You promised,”

Yeah. She knew. She also hadn’t expected this woman to immediately make eyes at him and set her jealousy blazing in under a nanosecond. Was this _really_ how Anakin felt when she spoke to other men? How _miserable_.

“Just remember what _you_ promised,” Iza said quietly, letting go of him as they approached a large line of tables filled with various bottles of different juices and liquors. “Keep the bond _open_.”

“It’s open, sweetness,” reaching back to give a sharp tug to the end of her braid, he smiled down at her and gave her a small nudge. “Go. Take Obi-Wan and have him show you the observatory. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

“I love you,” she probably shouldn’t have said it, but she was quiet and _thankfully_ , Obi-Wan had stepped in front of them at just the right moment to block Padme’s line of sight. It didn’t keep Anakin from smiling like a fool or giving her a slow shake of his head before he sighed and rolled his eyes lightly.

“Love you too, sweetness,” he jerked his head towards Obi-Wan’s back. “Go on,”

She hesitated for a moment and then followed after the older Jedi, glancing back only once to see him wave his hand at her.

“Wine?” Padme startled him as she stepped up, offering the goblet to him.

“Oh—uh,” he supposed it couldn’t hurt to have _some_. Taking it, he nodded in thanks and noted the way the older woman seemed to stare after Iza and Obi-Wan before she looked back at him.

“She seems fond of you,” _hell’s bells_.

“Well… that would make sense,” he wasn’t going to lie. He couldn’t outright _say_ anything while they stood here, but it wasn’t as though Padme wasn’t privy to his personal business. She’d _been_ his personal business for a while in the past, after all.

“So she’s your…?”

“You could say that,” taking a small sip of the wine, he smacked his lips at the overly sweet flavor of it and tried not to look too terribly bothered. “Would you like to catch up somewhere else?”

“Yes, actually,” smiling, Padme offered her hand to him and seemed surprised when he was hesitant to take it. Laughing, she raised both brows. “What are you afraid of, Ani?”

“I’m not afraid of anything,” he took her hand, but not before he’d cast a quick look around to make sure he wasn’t going to be spotted. He _really_ didn’t want to be the cause of any conflict between the two women if he could help it. It was bad enough that Iza had practically broadcasted her feelings to the entire room; he didn’t think he could handle _both_ women behaving poorly. Allowing her to lead him to a small speaking chamber down a hall, Anakin felt a soft pang of anxiety in his gut that he wasn’t sure was his. Iza must’ve realized he was gone. Doing his best to send a comforting thought to her, he took another sip of the disgusting wine and went to join Padme on the plush couch in the center of the room.

“You look healthy,” Padme seemed to have relaxed now that they were out of the watchful eye of the crowded room. Or perhaps because now Iza wasn’t around; he couldn’t tell. “It’s been a long time.”

“It has,” he could recall exactly how their last meeting had gone. He was honestly a _little_ surprised that she’d invited him here at all. Friends or not, he’d been pretty sure his behavior had been enough for Padme to be done with him for the rest of eternity.

“Have you missed me?”

_Fuck._

“Padme,” he smiled as gently as he could and set the goblet of foul wine aside. “It was you who tossed me out.”

“That does not mean—”

“I have missed you, my friend,” nodding lightly, he kept his eyes on the intricate designs that had been embroidered into the dress she wore. “I’m afraid it’s just not the way you wish for me to miss you.”

“You could at least look at me when you lie, Ani,”

Frowning, he leveled his gaze with hers.

“It’s not a lie.”

“Why would you come if it wasn’t?” Letting out a nervous laugh, Padme reached across the space between them to take his hand. “Anakin,”

“ _Padme_ ,” pulling his hand back, he shook his head. “I did not accept the invitation because I believed there was a chance for reconciliation. We haven’t seen one another in two years. I thought—”

“You must think very low of me if you believe I only asked you here for such selfish reasons.”

“I do _not_ believe those things, Padme,” clenching his teeth, Anakin frowned harder. “I accepted because I thought you wanted me here as your friend.”

“Is that what we are, Ani?” She smiled at him so _sadly_. He hated it. He hated that he had to force himself to look at that expression at all. “Are we _friends?_ ”

“I’d like to think so,” he hoped he wasn’t projecting. He didn’t want Iza or Obi-Wan to feel any of the confused feelings running through him right now. _He_ didn’t even want to feel these things. Perhaps they should’ve just stayed on the damn starship and not bothered with this. “It’s all we can be, Padme.”

“Is it?”

“ _Yes_.”

“She must mean a great deal to you,” that damn sad smile was going to be the end of him. He didn’t know whether she was trying to make him feel guilty or not, but _Force_ —it was doing something unpleasant to his stomach. “Was it your decision to bring her along or did she make it?”

“Pardon?”

“Obi-Wan did not bring a guest.” Shrugging, Padme tilted her head curiously. “And I’m surprised you did not bring your Padawan. I would have liked to see her again.”

“Ahsoka wouldn’t have enjoyed herself.” Well, she wouldn’t. “It was my decision to bring Iza. The invitation said we were allowed a guest apiece.”

“This is true. I hardly expected you to bring someone you’re…” She looked like she couldn’t find the right word for Iza. “ _With._ ”

“If her presence offends you, we can leave.”

“I’m not saying that,” boy, she was suddenly flustered underneath all of that white makeup. “I would have just appreciated a little warning, Anakin.”

“And why is that?” No, Anakin didn’t like that feeling in his stomach _at all_. He couldn’t put his finger on exactly which emotion it was that Padme was projecting onto him, but it was uncomfortable and it felt very much like it could cause trouble if he wasn’t careful or said the wrong thing.

“I could have prepared myself a little more,”

“What do you need to be prepared for, Padme?”

“Forgive me, Anakin,” now she wasn’t looking at him at all. “I just didn’t expect… _this_.”

 _Oh_. Now he got it. That feeling she was putting out was disappointment. Poorly disguised disappointment, at that. She could try to play it off as nonchalance if she wanted, but Anakin knew her well enough to know that no matter how much she denied it, the older woman _had_ likely expected more than just friendly conversation from him. Perhaps if he and Obi-Wan hadn’t been so successful in bringing Iza into this relationship with them, things might be going differently. But that was not the case and he was not going to give Iza any reason to mistrust him.

“It’s been two years,” he went to pick up the wine goblet, forgetting how disgusting the contents had been. “Surely you didn’t think I’d sit around and wait for you to come around?”

“No,” she shook her head and turned her hands up. “But I also know the _rules_ you’re supposed to adhere to. This was… unexpected.”

“She’s a Jedi as well.”

“I suppose that makes it _different?_ ”

“It makes it easier,” it didn’t matter how many sips he took from this damned cup; the wine just did not get any better. “What _is_ this, Padme?”

“It was brought by Senator Organa. I’m not sure what it is.” Shrugging, Padme offered a faint smile. “I can call to have someone bring something else, if you’d like?”

“No, I think I’ll pass. Thank you.” He could choke this down if he really had to. He just hoped Iza wasn’t helping herself to any of the stronger liquors that were being offered. Hopefully, Obi-Wan was keeping an eye on her.

“You say it makes it easier,” she drew his attention back when she spoke. “Was it really so difficult with me?”

“Padme,” heaving a sigh, Anakin ran his fingers through his hair and really tried not to pinch the bridge of his nose. “I seem to recall _me_ having been the problem. You were dissatisfied with the secrecy. You claimed I was too immature to understand what it was you really wanted. You sent me away for being upset over the very thing you’re getting upset at _me_ for, now.”

“I’m not upset,” Padme shot him a sharp look and then turned her eyes elsewhere. “I’m _surprised_. There’s a difference. You do not see me throwing my fists at that girl, do you?”

“You gave me no warning,” shaking his head with a slow roll of his shoulder, Anakin turned his hand up. “We were fine one day and the next… there was someone else.”

“You make me sound horrible when you put it like that.”

“You _were_ horrible, Padme,” he dropped his voice to a low whisper and watched her turn to look at him again. “You… were very hurtful with the way you treated me that day.”

“You were not very kind to _me_ , Anakin,” she frowned like she was trying to keep her jaw steady. “You were very cold.”

“You had someone else in your bed, Padme,” letting out a nervous laugh, the younger man threw his hand out. “I don’t know what sort of way you expected me to be, but I was not going to jump for joy.”

“I was lonely, Anakin,” Padme turned her hands up and blinked against the tears in her eyes. “I suppose it’s my own fault for believing that you could give me the things you promised—we were too young.”

“Too young,” he smiled bitterly, finally getting the rest of the wine down his throat. “That’s all you used to tell me. I was _too young_ to keep you happy.”

“ _Ani_ ,”

“It was only two years ago, you know,” setting the goblet down again, Anakin wished he had more of the disgusting drink to choke down. Maybe it’d get rid of the sick feeling in his stomach. “I wonder what must’ve happened in two years for you to change your mind about me being _too young_.”

“I’m just as much at fault, Anakin. _I know that_.” A few moments of silence passed before Padme was able to look at him. “I’m so very sorry, Ani. I truly am.”

“Me too,” moving to get to his feet, he stopped when she took hold of his arm.

“Don’t go,”

“I need to check—”

“She’s with Obi-Wan,” pulling on him, she managed to get him to sit back down, though he was reluctant to do so. “She’ll be all right.”

“What do you want, Padme?” That wine was starting to hit him now and Anakin didn’t want to be here anymore. Iza’s words of how the party was full of stuffy politicians and equally stuffy royalty echoed through his head and he found himself just wanting to _leave_. Maybe they could see some of the sights of Naboo so the trip wouldn’t be a total waste. He was sure Iza had said she’d never been here before.

“I never meant to hurt you,” she’d moved closer. Too damn close.

Turning away from the hand she tried to touch his face with, Anakin brushed her off and stood, wagging his finger at her.

“You will _not_ do this to me, Padme,” shaking his head, Anakin started for the door. “I came here as a friend. Nothing more.”

“Does she know?” Her words had him halting in his tracks. “Does she know about you and Obi-Wan?”

He laughed then, the sound loud and borderline hysterical. Turning to give her a look, Anakin shrugged lightly and waved a careless hand. Really, he was going to have to figure out which bottle that wine came out of and steal it before they left. Foul as it was, it made him feel _delightful_.

“She is also his _plus one_ ,” he shouldn’t have been so damn smug about it, but it was almost worth it to see the look on her face. After the hell he’d been through mourning his love for her, after spending so damn long pining and praying she’d change her mind— _it was worth it_. Giving a bow and a sarcastic smile, Anakin opened the door to step through it. “Happy Birthday, Padme. I do hope you have fun at your party. Thank you very much for your wasted invitation.”

“ _Ani!_ ”

He kept walking, feeling strangely light on his feet. He went straight to the refreshment hall to seek out the bottle of wine—it was relatively easy to find—and tucked it away in the front of his robes before wandering out to one of the balconies to find Iza and Obi-Wan. Surprised when the brunette came rushing around the corner in a hurry, he smiled down at her and lifted a hand to brush it under her chin with a soft hum, getting a concerned look in return.

“Anakin?” She really wanted to lean into his touch but there were so many people around that she didn’t think it was a good idea.

“Hello sweetness,” he curled his finger in a bit of hair she’d missed while braiding it and looked up as Obi-Wan came up, looking as though he’d been jogging.

“ _Iza_ ,” he was a little out of breath as he scolded the younger Jedi and took almost no notice of Anakin and the state he was in. “What in the name of—”

“You’re drunk,” squinting, Iza looked almost relieved. And then she gave him a good push that made him laugh and almost drop the bottle he had hidden beneath his robes. “ _Di’kut!_ I thought something was _wrong!_ ”

“No, nothing is wrong,” tugging playfully at the little piece of hair, Anakin jerked his head towards the front of the building. “How would you like to get out of here, sweetness?”

“What about the party?”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan frowned as he studied his partner. “Has something happened?”

“No,” shaking his head, Anakin moved to slide an arm around Iza’s shoulders and guide her towards the front entrance with the older Jedi on their heels. “I’ve had my talk with Padme and I’ve decided that I’d like to leave.”

“Are you sure?” Iza asked, trying not to lean into him. While she was almost ecstatic to hear that he wanted to leave on his own accord, she couldn’t help worrying that something had happened to make him want to rush them out like this. And how the _hell_ had he gotten so tipsy so fast? Last she’d seen, he’d only been given a single goblet of wine. Surely whatever had been in that goblet wasn’t strong enough to do _this_ to him? Not when she knew he could take shots with her and some of the Troopers and still stay standing.

“I’m very sure,” if Padme wanted to speak to him again, she could do so in a transmission. Or perhaps they could arrange a better time for a conversation where he didn’t have to worry about feeling trapped. Maybe one day they could talk this out like adults, but it seemed that _now_ was not the right time.

Exchanging a look with Obi-Wan, Iza hesitated to allow the younger Jedi to lead her out. Even Obi-Wan seemed unsure about the situation, but was a little less obvious about it. He’d actually managed to get her to relax while Anakin had been off talking to the queen; they’d discovered a beautiful garden area out in the back that Iza had wanted to explore. But then she’d started feeling very _strange_ and kept getting little pulses of anger and confliction along her bond with Anakin. It’d startled her quite a bit, but she’d kept her mouth shut for the most part. She hadn’t wanted to seem like she was overreacting to something that could very well just be _nothing_ at all. Especially not when she’d been warned to behave herself.

“I think we should take our time going back,” Anakin announced as he lowered the ramp of the starship. “We should have a party of our own.”

Iza and Obi-Wan looked at each other again and followed the younger Jedi as he headed up into the ship. It did not go unnoticed when he tripped on his own feet, nor when he appeared to sway as he pulled the bottle of stolen wine free from his robes to hold out to Iza. Neither of them could get a good read on him; he wasn’t too tipsy to block them out, apparently. Gingerly, Iza took the bottle from him and waited for him to take a seat while Obi-Wan prepared the ship for lift-off, letting out a soft noise when Anakin snatched her about the waist and pulled her into his lap. There was something about the way he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck and held tight to her that felt _off_. Almost like he was seeking some kind of comfort in her presence without asking for it. It took Iza a moment or two before she felt the wet heat of tears against her skin and the heavy pressure of his hurt weighing down on her chest.

“ _Cyar’ika?_ ” Setting the bottle on the ground, she shifted on his lap and protectively curled her arms around the back of his head, cradling him closer. “Anakin, love, what is it?”

“I was never enough for her,” he whispered, the smell of that sweet wine thick in his breath. “She wasn’t a terrible woman, but she was so unkind at the end. Please do not be unkind to us like that. If you decide you no longer love us—please be honest. Do not make us suffer.”

“ _Anakin_ ,” pulling back, Iza pushed his hair out of the way so she could get a better look at his face, leaning in and kissing the tears off of his cheeks. Resting her forehead to his, she cupped his jaw in her hands and stroked her thumbs against his skin, shaking her head lightly. “I would never… you’re part of what makes me complete. Both of you.”

“And Catcher,” he reminded her.

“Yes my love,” she laughed, kissing him. “And Catcher.”

“How?” His glassy blue eyes searched hers as he slid a hand around the back of her neck. “How do you do it?”

“What? How do I love three?” She shrugged slowly and nuzzled her nose over his. “It is no different than you loving _two_ , _cyar’ika._ You said yourself that I’ve got a lot of love in my heart.”

“What if you grow tired of us?”

“ _Anakin_ , please,” turning so she sat straddled on his lap, Iza leaned in flush against his chest and sought his hands out, keeping her forehead pressed to his. “Can you not feel how in tune we are within the Force? I have this with no one else but you three. _No one else_.” Squeezing his fingers, she brought them to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “We may fight and we may not always agree on things, but that is part of keeping _balance_. You must accept the bad with the good, love.”

Anakin was silent for a short while, keeping his eyes closed as he rubbed his thumbs across Iza’s knuckles and let his breathing fall into sync with hers. She could feel him reaching tentatively along their bond, eventually wrapping her up as fully as she’d wrapped him in her energy. Neither of them made attempts to reach further; the soul bond was far too intimate to try in front of Obi-Wan. They could do some very devious things in front of their lover, but this was not one of them. Finally, the younger of the two pressed his lips to the tips of her fingers, then tilted his head up to steal a soft kiss that tasted of the sweet wine and deep adoration.

“Mine,” he murmured against her lips, making her snicker. Somehow, she’d missed hearing him say that. His own little version of _I love you_.

“ _Yours_ , _cyar’ika._ ”

They both paused and strained to hear whether or not Obi-Wan was going to complain from up front, but the older man was silent. When they turned to look, he was sitting in the captain’s chair with his cheek propped against his knuckles and the sweetest, most affectionate look on his face that either of them had ever seen. Realizing he’d been caught, he sat up and cleared his throat.

“You two,” he mumbled, shaking his head as he turned back to the controls. “You’ll be the death of me.”

~*~*~*~

“This place is so _pretty_ ,” Iza couldn’t stop saying it. They’d been walking through the patch of forest for an hour now, sipping from Anakin’s stolen bottle of wine while occasionally stopping to admire more of the scenery. It made her almost sad that she’d been born on Coruscant. The place was an absolute _pit_ in comparison.

“It is indeed very beautiful,” coming up alongside her, Obi-Wan reached to take the bottle out of her hand and hold it up to see just how much his companions had imbibed. _One_ of them had to be able to fly the starship back to the cruiser and since Iza was still in her training sessions, it would most definitely not be her. Anakin was a damn lost cause as well. The boy had tanked himself a long while ago and turned into a wobbling, laughing mess with grab-happy hands. Whatever was in this wine, Obi-Wan was sure it hadn’t been meant to be consumed in such great amounts.

“We should go swimming,” Anakin slurred from beside Iza, already pulling at his tabard as he started towards the shore of a large, glassy lake.

“ _Anakin_ ,” following after him, Iza slung her arms around his waist and pulled him back with a laugh. Grunting when she lost her footing and they tumbled back into the grass, she buried her face in his shoulder and bit down lightly. “We _cannot_.”

“And why not?” he tried to look at her over his shoulder, rolling off and pulling her on top of him. “Don’t you know how?”

“Yes, I know how.” She gestured to Obi-Wan, who looked very much like he was amused but also growing a little tired with their antics. “But I think we should go back and let Obi-Wan rest.”

“He can come too,” tilting his head back to look at the older Jedi, Anakin grinned. “Would you like to come swimming, Master?”

“I would like to not have to save you from _drowning_ , my dear friend,” smiling back fondly, Obi-Wan took a quick swig from the bottle in his hand and blew out a disgusted breath. _Honestly_ , what the hell did the Alderaanians put in their liquor?

“The water is not deep,” shrugging, Anakin looked back at Iza and tilted his head. “I’m sure even Iza could stand with her head above it.”

“You’re cruel,” laughing at him, Iza gave a soft thump to his shoulder and pouted. “I am _not_ that small.”

“You are very small, sweetness.” His features shifted then, hands sliding up along her thighs to settle on her hips. “Small and soft and plush and _tigh—_ ”

“ _Anakin Skywalker!_ ” Iza felt her face grow hot enough to make her almost cover her face. Maybe it was the alcohol making her feel so damn bashful but _hell_ —he rarely spoke like that outside of the bedroom. He usually left those filthy words for Obi-Wan to use.

Beneath her, Anakin grinned like a fucking _demon_. Reaching up with his leather-clad hand, he pulled her down by the front of her robes and hovered his lips over hers before teasing the bottom one with the point of his tongue.

“Perhaps we _should_ go back to the starship,” he whispered, the hand at her hip giving a tight squeeze. “Unless you’d like to try it beneath the stars?”

“Romantic as that is,” Obi-Wan cut in, coming over to lift Iza off of the younger man. “We are not prepared for that, Anakin.”

“We’ll lay her on our robes,” Anakin looked annoyed at having lost the warm weight of his companion. “Surely you’re not worried about a few grass stains, Obi-Wan?”

“I’m more worried about prying eyes,” gesturing to the brightly lit buildings on the other side of the lake, Obi-Wan shot a pointed look at Anakin. “This is not a club, Anakin. We cannot get away with those things here.”

“And you, sweetness?” Sitting up, Anakin raised a brow at Iza. “What would you like to do?”

“Do not put me in the middle,” shaking her head with a wide eyed look, Iza felt a soft zip of unease at the flame that ignited in Anakin’s blue eyes. Perhaps she should _not_ have said that. Leaning back against Obi-Wan as the younger man slowly got to his feet, she felt very much like she was being stalked by a predator as Anakin made his way over and lifted a hand to brush his fingers beneath her chin.

“I thought you _liked_ being in the middle, sweetness?” He stepped closer, backing her fully against Obi-Wan’s chest as his fingers trailed down her throat.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan’s warning tone was laced with a thickness Iza recognized as growing arousal. Or maybe that was just his _dick_ against her lower back.

“I’m being gentle,” he hadn’t even put pressure behind his touch yet, after all.

“You’re a _fiend_ ,” Iza breathed, sounding as though she didn’t hate it entirely. “You’re also very drunk,”

“I can sober up,” moving in closer, Anakin ghosted his lips over hers again and growled quietly when she playfully turned away from him. “Are you sure you want to start that game, Iza?”

“What sort of game?” _Yeah_ —she was sure.

“Oh darling,” Obi-Wan looped an arm around her from behind and anchored her in place. “I would _not_ if I were you.”

“I miss the games,” tilting her head back to look at him, the brunette poked her bottom lip out. “We’ve been so _tame_ since returning to Coruscant. Where have _you_ gone, **_Master_** _?_ ”

A sound like a snarl rumbled in the older Jedi’s chest and he dipped his head to bite the outer edge of her ear, exhaling harshly as he squeezed her around the middle.

“Giving you a break, you wretched thing,” blue eyes flicked up to meet Anakin’s in silent question. The younger man smiled slowly and gave a nod and Obi-Wan released the brunette, giving her a gentle push. “Darling,”

“Yes?” What the _hell_ was that about?

“ _Run_.”

There was a moment where she looked between the two of them, completely unsure of herself. It was a _game_. This was safe. She knew them. She _loved_ them. They would never—

“Iza?” Anakin’s eyes still held that dark fire in them, but his face was full of concern.

“ _Ne’tra_ ,” it was all she could think of to say.

“ _Oh darling_ ,” Obi-Wan seemed to realize what he’d done and tentatively reached his hand out to her. “Darling, I’m so sorry, I did not mean—”

“It’s okay,” she put her hands up and forced a smile, letting him pull her into his arms. “You do not have to apologize.”

“I do,” his fingers threaded into her hair and he bowed to kiss the top of her head. “I did not think. That is not the kind of game we should play with you.”

“We can still play,” leaning into him, she nestled her cheek against his shoulder, casting a look at Anakin. “I told you, you needn’t treat me like glass.”

“Perhaps,” Anakin’s eyes had softened considerably and he wobbled a little when he stepped over to lean into her side and sigh. “But we will still not be playing _that_ game.”

That was fair. She could agree to that. She also had a strong compulsion to apologize for ruining that fun for them, but when she opened her mouth to say it, the younger Jedi swooped down and caught her lips in a hurried kiss.

“Don’t you _dare_ ,” he growled, pressing her into Obi-Wan’s chest. “ _Don’t you **dare**._”

Okay. She wouldn’t.

“Take it easy, Anakin,” Obi-Wan sounded a bit strained, like he was trying to maintain the balance between his usual self and the Bastard. A chuckle got lost somewhere in his efforts to nudge the younger man back, lifting him with a hand beneath his chin as he tutted and shook his head. “You need to sober up before we get onto the starship. While we both adore your passionate nature, I do think it’d be best if you were not so fired up.”

“Yes Master,” Anakin nodded and Iza _swore_ she felt the soft rumblings of a growl in Obi-Wan’s chest. _Oh_ —so it _did_ affect him when Anakin said it too. _Interesting_.

“Shall we?” Looking between his two companions, Obi-Wan gave them both a gentle nudge to get them to walk, allowing Iza to slip away to walk in the center. Anakin leaned heavily on her, one arm wrapped tight around her waist as he twisted the ends of her robes around his fingers and occasionally lowered his head to bite her ear or kiss her neck. This caused her to lose balance and stumble into Obi-Wan, who simply steadied them both with a hand and a shake of his head. He was very aware that both of the younger Jedi were half panting by the time they’d reached the starship and each had managed to loosen their robes considerably without losing a single layer. _Really_ —they were ridiculous. Though, he had to admit that it was nice to see Anakin as happy as he was. The boy had been content when it was just the two of them, sure. And Obi-Wan had been quite content as well. But they’d agreed that it was time for another and he was just pleased that they’d found one who fit nicely between them— _so to speak._

“You’re going to make me lose my lightsaber,” Iza laughed as she was snatched about the waist and lifted off of her feet to be tossed over Anakin’s shoulder while he hauled her up the ramp. “ _Anakin!_ ”

“Hold onto it, then,” he teetered horribly to one side as he climbed the ramp, grunting when he hit his head on something. “ _Sonofafucking—_ ”

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,” picking her head up to look at him Iza swore at the top of her lungs when she too, bashed her skull against the ship, bringing her hands up to cover the spot. “ _Sithspitting mother of—_ ”

“Both of you _sit down_ ,” Obi-Wan ordered, trying like hell not to laugh. “Anakin, put that girl down.”

Grumbling under his breath, Anakin carefully set Iza on her feet and rubbed the spot where he’d smacked his head. Both of them pouted like children as they sat down on a bench seat and fussed over their bruised heads, causing the older man to shake his head and finally let out the laugh he’d been holding in.

“This is what happens when you think with parts other than your _brains_ ,” he chided playfully, coming over to give each of them a quick look over to make sure neither of them had split their skin open. Bowing, he placed kisses to each of their heads just to be an ass and smirked. “You’ll be _fine_.”

“I think I’m sober now,” Anakin growled, looking irritated. “ _Sheesh_.”

“I should be used to this,” rubbing the spot as she made a face, Iza leaned on the younger Jedi and propped her chin on his shoulder. “I’m _always_ hitting my head on the battlefield.”

“So _that’s_ why you wear the helmet?” Lightly resting his head against hers, Anakin snickered.

“That’s why I’m _supposed_ to. Catcher complains when I don’t.”

“So—Catcher complains every time you’re out fighting?”

“ _Basically_.”

Humming, the younger Jedi turned to look at her and smiled. He said nothing for a few moments before leaning in and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips, one that grew in depth and fervor the longer it went on. It wasn’t long before he was pulling Iza onto his lap and fumbling to get her belt undone to further loosen the layers of her robes. The heavy _thunk_ of her lightsaber hitting the floor of the starship drew Obi-Wan’s attention and he let out a soft _tut_ when they both looked over at him guiltily.

“Get in the back,” he waved his hand at them, then pointed at the fallen lightsaber. “Pick that up first.”

“Yes sir,” Iza gave him her sweetest look and watched his eyebrow twitch as she slid out of Anakin’s lap to pick up her lightsaber. Setting it on the seat, she pulled the tabard off and shrugged out of the outer robe, dropping both pieces of clothing on the seat as well and leaving her tunic in place before taking Anakin by the hand. She gave Obi-Wan one last look over her shoulder before leading the younger man away, pursing her lips to stop the smirk that had started to form when she heard his heavy exhale from up front.

“You’re provoking him,” Anakin warned playfully from beside her as they ventured into the back, fingers playing with hers before they slid up along her arm.

“I know,” she gave him a look and planted her hand in the center of his chest, pushing him to make him sit on the tiny bed. “I told you both I still wanted to play your games.”

“This is the _worst_ place for that, sweetness,” laughing as he pulled her back onto his lap, Anakin kissed her chin and worked his way down her neck. “One on one— _sure_. But someone is going to get hurt in here.”

“Promise?”

Leaning back to look at her with wide eyes and brows that were so high up on his forehead they may as well have been in his hairline, Anakin let out a short laugh and clucked his tongue.

“He’s right about you,” pulling her in tighter, he shook his head and nipped her bottom lip. “You’re fucking _dangerous_ , sweetness.”

“I know what I like,” she shrugged and nipped back. “I’ve enjoyed the softness recently, but I’m ready to be tossed around again.”

“I thought that’s what you had Catcher for?” Anakin teased, giving a nudge to her nose with the end of his.

“ _It is_ ,” her eyes shifted some when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. “But I do _so_ enjoy being in the _middle_.”

Gentle fingers slid around the column of her throat from behind and Iza gave a soft gasp as she was pulled back against Obi-Wan’s abdomen. Tilting her head back when he tapped the underside of her chin, she smiled up at him and got a wicked one in return.

“Then _in the middle_ you shall be, darling,” giving enough of a squeeze to elicit a whine out of her, he hummed thoughtfully and gave Anakin a look. “Perhaps you should get the rest of that wine. You wanted a _party_ , after all.”

“Is that wise?”

“You tell me,”

“Have you ever licked expensive wine off the skin of a woman before, Anakin?” Iza watched as two sets of blue eyes fixed on hers, a sinful type of fire blazing in their gazes. She drew in a shivery breath when Obi-Wan’s fingers inadvertently twitched against her throat and had to fight the wild grin that wanted to split her face in two as the younger Jedi leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers. A deep growl rumbled in his chest as he stared her down and exhaled slowly, sounding damn conflicted about the idea. Leaning up, Iza stole the tiniest of kisses and brushed her fingers under the layers of his loosened robes in an attempt to coax him into relenting. “I promise it tastes better than it does out of the bottle.”

Anakin reached up without warning and batted Obi-Wan’s hand away from Iza’s neck, hauling her onto the tiny bed and rolling her beneath him.

“Get the bottle, Obi-Wan,” he huffed, looking her over before grabbing the neck of her tunic to tear it straight down the center.

“Anakin—”

“ _It was your idea_ ,” he didn’t even look over as he wagged his finger at the older man, too busy getting the remnants of the tunic off of the brunette before he started working on his own clothes. “I will be mindful—but I will _not_ be gentle.”

Obi-Wan sighed.

“Very well,” he cast a look at Iza, who stared between the two with absolute _glee_ in her pretty eyes. “ _You_ —” he pointed at the younger woman and snorted at the innocent look she tried to give him. “Just remember that this is what you asked for, darling.”

“I know.”

“The basic rules still apply,” well, he _had_ to put that out there. “But you’ve stirred _that_ beast. If you think I’m terrible— _my dear_ ,” he tutted softly and smiled slow. “He will ruin you.”

“I hear a lot of talk, Obi-Wan,” moving her hand in a mock-talking motion, Iza looked as unfazed as she could. “I’m _waiting_ for the day you two ruin me.”

“You may not have to wait long, darling,” shaking his head, he turned his attention back to Anakin. “You wait until I’ve returned, understand?”

“ _Yep_.” It wouldn’t keep him from leaving his mark all over her neck. “Don’t take long. Get the bird in the air and get back here.”

“This is _your_ fault,” pointing at Iza again, Obi-Wan laughed as he turned to leave the room. “I sure hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into, darling.”


	21. She Said: This Doesn't Hurt

A month passed, maybe two, perhaps even three. It was difficult to keep track of time when one was fixated on keeping the peace and fighting a war; even more difficult when the majority of one’s free time was spent in the company of their romantic partners. Iza did everything in her power to stay as far away from Master Windu when she was at the Temple, only allowing herself to be in his presence during debriefings and to take new assignments when they were given to her. She trained extensively with Anakin and Obi-Wan to maintain the same sort of discipline they displayed around one another and, in turn, she passed the teachings on to Catcher. Despite all of the fuss going on around them in the galaxy, the little group seemed to maintain a sense of normalcy within itself.

Nothing was perfect. There were days when stress ran so high that the screaming matches that broke out between Iza and Anakin often felt like the end of everything. Obi-Wan had learned to tell the difference between a simple bickering spell between the two and a true fight. _Those_ were the worst, in his mind. Someone always ended up in tears or in such a hysterical state of mind that he truly worried that one of them would break and the arrangement would be over. But he’d also learned that they were just _so damn similar_ that this was their way of working around one another’s shortcomings. Iza had her stubbornness and her unwillingness to be ordered around anywhere outside of the bedroom, and Anakin was still so fiercely possessive and passionate that sometimes those things got the better of him. They got the better of _both_ of them.

Even Iza and Obi-Wan got into it on occasion. She felt he was still holding back his feelings when he’d promised to be more up front with them, and he insisted that he was doing his best. He simply was not used to the kind of demand she had to be _shown_ the kind of love she wanted. He often used the same excuse as always; being a Jedi meant concealing emotions and he’d grown so used to doing just that. Iza wouldn’t accept it and reminded him of their agreement for him to let her feel it along their bond if he was not going to be outright with how he felt. The argument would continue for about a day or so and then come to a close when Anakin ultimately stepped in to mediate. It was _not_ as simple of an arrangement as it may have appeared to outside eyes, but they made it work.

It was during the times they were made to be apart that were the hardest. Iza was never without Catcher at her side, but the Clone had come to accept and respect the relationship she’d formed with the other Jedi. Seeing her throw herself into a battle even more recklessly than before when she was without them worried him. He knew that they could not always be together, but he sometimes wished they could. If only Rex would fucking take his requests to have him and the squad moved to the 501st, then maybe he wouldn’t have to see Iza practically kill herself whenever they hit the battlefield.

“You need to stop this, Little Bit,” he murmured one night in the pod bunk they shared, carefully draping his arm over her belly as he pulled her back against his chest. “That’s the third time you’ve broken that arm.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted, barely sparing the caged limb a glance. She’d been given the usual injection for it; the bones would be mended by the morning and she’d be good as new. “Doesn’t even hurt.”

“What would they say if they saw that, hm?” Nuzzling the back of her neck, Catcher smirked when he heard her grumble. “You know Anakin is due to comm soon. Are you going to hide it again like last time?”

“If someone keeps his mouth shut, I won’t need to worry about it,” turning to look at him, she eyed him for a moment and carefully turned over onto her belly. The space of the bunk was so damn small that Catcher ended up having to shift around until he was beneath her in order for them to rest comfortably, but they managed to make it work. “How’s your head, love?”

“Never had any complaints,” he grinned and grunted when she playfully thumped his shoulder, leaning up to kiss her cheek. “I’m all right. Droid gave me the same shot they usually give _you_.”

“You were a fool to give me your sunbonnet,” frowning, Iza reached to lightly run her fingers over the bruise flaring from Catcher’s forehead back into his hairline. “I’m sorry I didn’t see—”

“Hey,” he cupped her chin and kissed her, shaking his head. “We’re alive. That’s what matters, sweetheart.”

“You think someone’s gonna snitch?”

Catcher blew out a breath and tucked his arm behind his head, shrugging lightly.

“Hard to say. You know the Stars will keep their mouths shut, but some of those men were from the 212th. Cody has instilled a pretty deep sense of loyalty into them. If someone asks, they might tell.”

“They were not from the 187th and that’s what matters to me,” huffing, Iza eyed him a little and grumbled before moving to get up from the bunk. “I wish you wouldn’t display yourself like this.”

“Excuse me?” Laughing, he helped her to get out and raised an eyebrow. “ _Display myself?_ Sweetheart, what the hell does that mean?”

Standing with a wince, Iza rubbed at a bruise on her lower back and then waved her hand at him.

“You’re shirtless and you’re doing _that thing_ with your arm like I’ve asked you a _million_ times not to do.” Shaking her head, she looked him over a few times and pouted before brandishing her injured arm. “I’m hurt and I can’t play with you.”

“Little Bit—” Catcher was interrupted by the trill of Iza’s communicator disc and he made a face before shooting her a look. “Answer it. We’ll talk about this _after_ you’ve spoken to your boys.”

Leaning into the bunk, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips and moved to grab the disc from where she’d left it, wandering out of the bunk room. Answering the transmission, she smiled at the pocket sized hologram of Anakin as it popped up, ducking into the closet she’d scouted out earlier in the day.

“Hi _cyar’ika_ ,” taking up perch on an ammunitions crate, she set the disc down and propped her chin on her knee. “Miss me?”

“Always, sweetness,” he looked her over and she could see the frown beginning to curve his lips when his eyes caught sight of the cage around her arm. “ _Iza_ , what did you do?”

“Nothing,” shrugging, she turned her uninjured hand up and gazed at him longingly, hoping he wouldn’t press for more information. She didn’t want to talk about what had happened that day. She wanted to look at him, talk to him; she _really_ wanted him to say that they would see each other soon so she could stop bothering some of the troopers for their cigarettes just to light them and let them burn. “Where is Obi-Wan?”

“Coruscant,” Anakin looked annoyed. “The Council called him back for something. He wouldn’t say what.”

“Am I to expect a call from him?”

“I’m not sure, sweetness,” shrugging, the younger man appeared to sigh. “You know you can always try calling him.”

“I’m terrible at knowing what time it is on Coruscant, Anakin. You know that.” Readjusting her position on the crate, Iza hissed at the twinge of pain her back gave and exhaled slowly through her nose, pretending not to see the way Anakin stared at her in concern. “Would you be a love and ask him to call when we’re done?”

“What happened to you?” Oh—she knew that tone. Anakin only took on the _Obi-Wan_ tone when he was good and worried about something and judging by the way he was staring at her from the other end of the transmission, he was _beyond_ concerned.

“We got caught in a bad spot,” Iza shrugged like she’d told him she’d tripped over her cloak. “I might have underestimated how many droids there were. There _might_ have been a grenade. Or three.”

“ _Iza_ , are you fucking—what do you— _sweetness, what the **fuck**?!_”

“It’s _fine_ , Anakin. We’re fine.” Shutting her eyes so she wouldn’t have to look at the way he was staring at her, Iza leaned back against the wall and clenched her jaw. “It was my fault. I got a little overzealous and I just… went for it.”

“Where the hell was Catcher?”

“Right where you’d expect him to be,” she smiled fondly to cover the fact that she was trying not to cry. “Running after me to try and stop me.”

“You could have been _killed_ ,” he sounded _pissed_ ; she couldn’t blame him. Catcher had given her hell when they’d gotten out of the medbay, too. “You could’ve gotten your whole squad killed!”

“I know,”

“You could at least _act_ like you care, Iza,”

“ _I do fucking care!_ ” Slamming the heel of her boot down on top of the crate, Iza sucked in a shivery breath and covered her face with her arm. “I thought I could do it! I thought I could do it by myself! I thought if I focused on you and Obi-Wan it would be the same— _but it’s not_.”

“You can’t draw from us when we’re not there, Iza,” she couldn’t tell if he was choking up or trying not to yell. “None of us are strong enough for that.”

“I just…” gesturing widely with her broken arm, the brunette swallowed hard and forced herself to look at him, hating herself for the fear she saw in his eyes. “I didn’t think…”

“No, sweetness. You really fucking _didn’t_ think,” Anakin shifted his gaze and clenched his jaw and Iza swore she saw a tear welling in his eye. “Were you even going to tell me?”

“Eventually,” well, she couldn’t say _no_. With all the hell she raised about _lying_ , Iza couldn’t go back on that now. “I didn’t really want to do it like this.”

“I want you back on Coruscant. You and the Stars are to be grounded until further notice.”

“ _Anakin_ ,” sitting up, she stared at him with wide eyes. “You can’t—”

“ _Obi-Wan_ can.” He fixed her with a hard look and shook his head slowly, pointing. “You are going to get yourself _killed_ doing this. I’m not going to let you.”

“But you can’t just take me off my assignment!” Could he? “I’m a sol—”

“A _Jedi_. You are a **_Jedi_** , Iza!” Well, if she hadn’t been worried about eavesdroppers before, she certainly was now. He wasn’t even _trying_ to be quiet about his scolding anymore. “You are _not_ a soldier! You are _not_ a Clone! You do _not_ belong out there, throwing yourself around the way that you do!”

“This is where I’m the most _comfortable_ , Anakin,” she didn’t think turning the transmission volume down would help at this point. Anyone else nearby on the ship would likely know she was in here by now. “ _Cyar’ika_ , please do not condemn me to the Temple.”

“You’re really not giving me much choice, sweetness,”

“I don’t want to go back to the Temple, Anakin,” she could absolutely remember the last time she’d been this panicked about returning to the Temple; she wished she could at least keep that panic from leaking into her voice. “Please don’t punish me. Don’t punish my men for my mistake.”

There was a long silence as he studied her from the other end of the transmission and for a minute, Iza thought that maybe he’d relent and let her have another chance. But it seemed as though Obi-Wan had begun to rub off on him—or maybe having a Padawan had shoved a sense of responsibility into his head—because he eventually shook his head at her and sighed.

“No,” he still sounded upset, but firm in his decision. “I want you back.”

“ _Anakin_ ,”

“Don’t argue with me,” he wasn’t even looking at her anymore. She couldn’t tell where he was looking; perhaps at something on the other end of the transmission. “I’ll have—”

“I’m not going. I won’t go back Anakin.”

 _That_ got his attention. He picked his head up and stared at her for a minute, frowning lightly.

“Iza—”

“I want to be where I’m needed,” blinking the tears out of her eyes, she tried like hell to keep the tremor out of her voice. “I’m useless at the Temple and we both know it. I won’t go.”

“And where would you rather be, sweetness? Where would you rather be than the safety of the Jedi Temple?”

“I’m _safe_ where I am.”

“ _Clearly not_.”

“I made a mistake,” shrugging, Iza lightly quirked a brow. “I am not a droid, Anakin. I am not programmed to perform tasks perfectly. I’m sorry, but I will not leave my post.”

“ _Iza_ ,” he had definitely lost his patience. She could see the dark look in his eye that he often got before they got into one of their bad fights. Silently, she hoped he wouldn’t start one; that was the last thing she needed right now. “This is one hell of a mistake.”

“It’s _war_ , Anakin. People get hurt,” she turned her hand up with a dry laugh and smiled tightly. The expression lasted all of three seconds before her jaw was wobbling again and she was sucking down a harsh breath. “ _Cyar’ika_ , I am begging you.”

“Perhaps we should let Obi-Wan decide?”

“Or perhaps you should just let me finish out my assignment,” Iza was not going to be able to control her tears anymore if he kept using that tone with her. It was bad enough that he was looking at her the way he was. His cold tone was making it so much worse. “Let me finish and you can send me wherever you want as long as you don’t ground me to the Temple.”

“Why are you so opposed to going home?” He sounded more curious now.

“You _know_ why, Anakin,”

“You cannot avoid Master Windu forever, Iza.”

“I will suffocate in that place,” sniffling, the brunette tried to brush the new tears away before they fell without success. “I was not meant to sit around and be—”

“ _Fine_.” Anakin sounded like he was ready to throw something. Iza had the distinct feeling that once they ending the transmission, he might do just that. “But if I get wind of one more incident like this, _you’re done_.”

She wanted to argue. She wanted to tell him he didn’t hold that power over her. But she knew he could get Obi-Wan to strip her of her title as General and take her off the battlefield permanently if he really wanted. And judging by how upset he was, he’d make good on that threat if she slipped up again. What choice did she have but to agree?

“All right,” Iza mumbled meekly, not looking at him.

“You can’t be upset at me for this, Iza,” his tone was warmer, but still held a note of anger she didn’t like. “ _Dammit_ , sweetness. What would I do if you got yourself killed?”

Right. She forgot about that sometimes, didn’t she?

“When do I get to see you?” She didn’t want to talk about this anymore. She wanted good news, if he had any for her.

“I’m not sure,” Anakin’s features softened considerably as he shrugged and waved a hand. “We’re nearly finished with this assignment, but I have a feeling we’ll be given another one immediately after. I can petition to be sent where you are. The Council may not go for it, but at least we know Obi-Wan will throw in a vote for us.”

“He’ll be the only one,” scoffing, Iza pulled her legs in towards her chest and rested her head against her knees, dragging her fingers through her hair. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too, sweetness,”

“I’m starting to really piss Slade off, bumming his cigarettes and not smoking them.” Letting out a short laugh that was quick to turn into a quiet sob, Iza felt her cheeks heat as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. “I feel empty, Anakin. Two weeks without you two has been _torture_.”

“Is that why you’re behaving so recklessly, sweetness?” He looked like he wanted to come through the comm disc and comfort her and Iza _really_ wished he could.

“I don’t know,” lifting her shoulders in a light shrug she swallowed thickly and sniffled again. “The rush helps me forget for a little while, you know? But it’s not the same. It’s like something’s _missing_.”

“Have you been able to show Catcher the Runi technique?”

“Yes. That helps a little, too.”

Anakin fell silent, appearing to ponder something for a few moments. Iza saw his chest rise and fall deeply in a sigh before he turned his blue eyes back to her and smiled as warmly as he could.

“I will see what I can do.” His warning for her to not be disappointed if he couldn’t manage to do anything at all didn’t need to be voiced. “Please just promise you’ll take better care of yourself, Iza.”

“I promise.” It was all she could do. She’d already made the promise to Catcher, who knew she’d _try_ to keep it if at all possible. Sometimes, her need to feel that wicked rush out on the battlefield overrode everything else inside of her and made it difficult for her to think about anything but _victory_.

“Call Obi-Wan. It’s not late on Coruscant. You should be able to reach him.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, sweetness. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Love you too, _cyar’ika_.” Iza really tried not to start crying when the transmission ended, but she still ended up burying her face in her thighs to try and sob out some of the ache she felt from missing him so much. She didn’t know how much of this feeling was made up of her longing, and how much was the anxiety that had come from knowing she’d almost been sent back to the Temple. _All_ of it was unpleasant and she just wanted to get it out of her system before she comm’d with Obi-Wan. He would likely be worried enough when he saw her and the state she was in. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be as angry as Anakin had been. When the last sniffle had subsided and the last tear had been scrubbed from her cheeks, she picked up the comm disc and made her call.

“Hello darling,” _oh_ , how she’d missed his voice.

“Obi-Wan,” well, so much for keeping the strain out of her damn tone. “Have I called too late?”

“Not at all, my dear,” she could see him looking her over and smiling in the soft, sad way he usually did when he wanted to scold her for something. She at least felt some comfort knowing he was going to hold his tongue. “How are you?”

Pressing her lips together tightly, Iza drew in a deep breath and tried to figure out how she wanted to answer that. Lying to Obi-Wan was not an easy thing to do, and certainly not a _fun_ thing to do either. Besides, he could see plain as day that she was not doing well. Telling him otherwise would lead to him learning the truth from Anakin and causing so many other problems that were not worth it in the end.

“Injured,” okay, well that was better than telling him she felt like throwing herself out of the starship. “Feeling foolish. The usual. How are you, my love?”

“Suddenly very concerned,” his brow furrowed and he appeared to lean forward in his seat. “Darling, has something happened with Anakin?”

“No,” she almost wished that were the case. “I suppose I’ve just… been running on fumes.”

“Fumes, darling?”

“This is so _hard_ , Obi-Wan,” the laugh Iza let out was short and humorless. “At least when we’re at the Temple and have to play it off like we’re only friends, I have the comfort of knowing I can still come to you when I need you. I do not have that comfort here. And— _I know_. You warned me it would be difficult. I just… I thought I could handle it better than this.”

“You’ve not been practicing your meditation exercises, have you?”

“It’s hard to concentrate here,” she knew it was a poor excuse and he likely wouldn’t accept it. “I try. But it’s like I told Anakin, I feel empty. I don’t know what to do about it. I feel myself reaching and there’s nothing there and it—”

“Darling, you mustn’t do that.” Damn him. Damn him and that gentle fucking look of his. It made her want to lay against his chest and bury her face in his shoulder so he could kiss the top of her head and hold her. “Reaching into the Force for us when we’re not around will only cause heartache.”

“ _You think?_ ”

“Iza,” he was trying to be patient with her. Thank the Force she’d chosen to talk to him after Anakin; at least she’d go to bed somewhat relaxed. “Perhaps you should come home for a while.”

“No. I already told Anakin I will not come back to the Temple.”

“You cannot spend your days out on assignment like that forever, darling,” giving her a look, Obi-Wan sat back in his seat. “You must rest.”

“I will not. Not without you.”

“Spoiled girl,” she heard the smile in his voice even though he’d begun to rub his finger across his mustache. “I can see what I can do about arranging something on this end, but darling—”

“I know. I need to take better care of myself. Anakin already scolded me.”

“As he should.”

“I am doing the best I can, Obi-Wan.” Was she, though? Was throwing herself headfirst into dangerous situations and coming out barely alive _really_ considered doing **the best she could**?

“I would like for you to sit out for the next few days.” He’d switched to running his fingers along his beard thoughtfully and she wasn’t sure if he was looking at her or something beyond the transmission. “Please keep your squad off the ground while you heal. Take some time and balance yourself, my dear. Will you do that for me? For us?”

Well, at least he wasn’t trying to bring her back to Coruscant. It was a better deal than what Anakin had demanded of her.

“Yes,” Catcher and the Stars would likely be relieved, honestly. They were getting a bit weary from the constant combat and deserved a break, even if Iza believed she deserved nothing of the sort. “But only because you’re asking nicely.”

“He threw a fit, didn’t he?” Rolling his eyes, Obi-Wan made an impatient noise. “My sweet, please do not take his tantrums personally. You know how much he cares for you.”

“I know. I know how much you both care, Obi-Wan,”

“And you understand we do not wish to take you away from doing what you love,” he fixed her with a pointed look. “We simply want to make sure you get out of it in one piece.”

“Yes,” he was going to make her cry again. “I know.”

“Good girl,” smiling with a soft sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair and suppressed a yawn.

“Go to bed, love,” she felt bad; he likely had been waiting up to hear from her. Anakin could say it wasn’t late on Coruscant all he wanted, but the boy forgot how early Obi-Wan tended to turn in when they were at the Temple. “May I call you tomorrow?”

“Of course,”

“I’ll try to get to you earlier.”

“Do not worry about it, darling,” he waved his hand dismissively and smiled at her fondly. “I don’t mind waiting up.”

“Love you,”

“Love _you_ , darling.”

~*~*~*~

She should’ve expected Catcher to be asleep, but somehow Iza was a little disappointed to see him passed out in their bunk. Maybe taking the detour back from her comm sessions to bother Slade for one of his cigarettes had been a poor decision. She should’ve just come right back and gone to bed with him. There wasn’t much she could do about it now. Waking him would be rude, especially since he’d had such a rough day. Poor bastard. She really shouldn’t have dragged him into the thick of things like that. But he had the worst tendency to just _follow_ her wherever she went like a damn puppy that she hadn’t been able to shake him. He was too damn quick on his feet and with their bond in place, he seemed to know where she was at all times now. Iza wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or a curse yet but she definitely didn’t like that it put him in more danger when she was trying to get things done on the battlefield.

She hadn’t meant to screw up as bad as she had—did anyone?—and she certainly hadn’t meant to put her men in danger. But she’d seen what she thought was an opening and she wanted to take it. How the hell was she supposed to know the fucking area had been lined with grenades? If it hadn’t been for Popper and his freakish ability to sniff them out, the entire squad might’ve been taken out in black bags. Coming over to sit on the edge of the bunk and figure out how the hell she was going to cram herself in beside her Commander, Iza frowned at the sight of the bruise on Catcher’s head. The idiot had popped his helmet in the middle of the chaos and shoved it onto her head and taken a damn rock to the skull shortly after. Iza had tried to deflect it, but his helmet was bigger than hers and the visor panel wasn’t in the right spot. She’d essentially been blind and was lucky she hadn’t taken anyone’s limbs off with the lightsaber. Really, she was so out of balance with the Force lately it was disgusting.

There was little warning as a strong arm slipped around her waist and hauled her onto the bed, making her gasp in surprise as she was tucked tightly against Catcher’s muscled chest. He grumbled in her ear—likely because of the smell of cigarette smoke in her hair—and pulled the itchy military issue blanket over them before nuzzling his face against the back of her neck.

“You better not have inhaled,” he muttered, shifting around a bit to accommodate her in the bunk.

“You know I didn’t,” snuggling back against him, she smiled when he kissed her shoulder.

“Are you all right?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Sweetheart,” she felt him sigh heavily against her back, his breath hot when it blew across her skin and raised goosebumps along the back of her neck. “You were… what is it you call it? _Projecting_.”

“I didn’t mean to.” She really hadn’t. _Man_ , she really was out of touch lately, wasn’t she? “I’m sorry if I worried you. I’m all right.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Iza laughed quietly and shook her head.

“We’re grounded for a few days. The whole squad. I’m sorry.”

“Good. We could use the downtime,” he squeezed her around the middle and nuzzled his nose along the curve of her neck. “You, especially.”

“I hate it when you agree with them,” even as she pouted, Iza was fighting a smile. “You’re supposed to be on _my_ side.”

“I’m on your side until you start getting hurt like this.”

“I’m _fine_ , Catch,”

“You’re not fine,” he sounded frustrated. Iza was willing to bet he was making that dumb scrunchy face of his, too. “You forget that I know you better than anyone else—even those two. I know when you’re not well, Little Bit.”

“I really wish all of you would stop treating my bad call as something—”

“Iza,” he sat up behind her and reached to turn her face towards his, giving her a hard look. “This is not just about a _bad call_. You’ve shifted. I may not know much about how this works, but I know a change in you when I feel it.”

“I’m not in danger, Catcher. I’m still in my own head. I would tell you if I wasn’t.”

“Would you?”

Iza stared at him, brows knitting together as disbelief sank into her features.

“ _Catcher_ ,” she almost hit him. If it weren’t for the fact that they were both too damn bruised up and this bunk was too damn small for that sort of shit, she would’ve. “You know better than that. You’re the only one I would tell.”

“Even over those two?”

“ _Especially_ over them.” Was he really going to do this? _Now?_ “I would have to say something eventually, but you know damn well you’re the only one I trust to help me with this.”

She couldn’t tell if he was satisfied with that answer or not. He only stared at her with those stupid brown eyes of his and worked his jaw like he was mulling over her response, analyzing it for lies. Finally, he leaned down and caught her lips in a bruising kiss, growling softly into her mouth.

“I won’t lose you, Little Bit,” gingerly resting his injured forehead to hers, he heaved out a breath and shut his eyes. “You _need_ to stop this shit.”

“I’ll quit when you do,” nuzzling her nose against his, she was given a short laugh in response.

“I hate how stubborn you are, you know that?”

“I hate how loyal to the Republic you are. We’re even.”

“We are _not_.”

“Catch,” reaching her good hand up, Iza carefully brushed her fingers through his hair and twitched her lips in a light frown. “I would not be here if not for you. Master Windu never intended for me to be a General. I was not even meant to be a _Commander_. I will not stop fighting until _you_ stop.”

“And you know I can’t do that.”

“Well,” shrugging, she pursed her lips and smiled. “Guess you’re stuck with me, huh?”

“You are the most infuriating thing in the galaxy.” He huffed down at her, looking frustrated even as she tenderly traced the line of his jaw. “You piss me off so much.”

“I know I do.”

“I wish you wouldn’t be so fucking stubborn, Little Bit,” tilting his head up, he kissed her forehead and sighed heavily. “How did I get stuck with you?”

Iza snickered and kissed his chin.

“It was the will of the Force, my love,” shrugging when he pulled back to give her the same sour face he always gave her when she said that, Iza poked her tongue out from between her teeth. “ _Come on_ , you must realize by now that it’s true?”

“It was the will of _something_. Devils, perhaps,” he made a face like he was trying not to laugh. “Sticking me with a headstrong woman like _you_ ,”

“You may blame devils if you want,” the brunette tapped the end of his nose with a fingertip. “Just remember that it was _you_ who knew I was there to save you before I even found you. So— _you_ must be that devil.”

“Oh— _I’ll give you **devil**_.”

“ _Catcher_ ,” Iza giggled nervously at the look he gave her, whining quietly into the kiss that was pressed to her lips. The sound quickly became a sharp gasp when she felt him slide his hand down the surface of her belly and beneath the waist of the loose fitting pants she wore. This was a _dangerous_ idea. They were already breaking protocol by sharing a bunk in this room; if someone else came in here to sleep and caught them like _this_ , there would be serious hell to pay. **Especially** since they were sharing space with men from the 212th. Cody was a fucking hardass. He did everything by the book and Iza wasn’t sure that Obi-Wan would be able to convince him not to go straight to Master Windu if they were caught.

But _stars_ , she could feel him getting hard against her hip as his fingers brushed along that soft patch of skin above where the band of her panties rested, _and_ he’d started doing that _thing_ where he growled softly at her like he was actually trying to restrain himself. It was all for show, of course. Iza knew better than that. Catcher often played this game with her with a roomful of his brothers snoring around them like he didn’t have a care in the universe about being caught. Sometimes, she wondered if he didn’t.

“Turn over,” he whispered, giving her a nudge. “On your side, Little Bit,”

She did as she was told, turning onto her side with her back against his chest. Biting down on her bottom lip, she pressed back on him and grinned a little to herself when he dropped his head against her shoulder and exhaled harshly as she slowly ground her ass against him. The hand inside of her pants dipped further, slipping beneath the fabric of her panties to cup her between the thighs while he nipped a sharp line up the back of her neck.

“You need to be _quiet_ ,” he warned; as if she didn’t already know. They’d played this game plenty of times before. Nodding at him, Iza grabbed a corner of the blanket and shoved it between her teeth as he slid a single finger between the folds of her pussy and rubbed slowly at her clit. She wanted so badly to mewl at him already; she hadn’t been touched in over a week. There just hadn’t been any fucking time for it. Doing her best not to squirm too much, she pressed back on him again and growled low around the thick material in her mouth, hearing him chuckle softly in response. He didn’t say anything—didn’t _need_ to, really—and reached further to nudge her thighs apart and press his fingers in as deep as he could.

“ _Catch_ ,”

His other hand came up from beneath the other side of her head and clamped down over her mouth, shoving the blanket further between her teeth and muffling the moan that followed the uttering of his name.

“ _Little Bit_ ,” his teeth were sharp against the outer edge of her ear. “ _Quiet_ ,”

Turning her head just enough to give him a dirty look, Iza arched away from his chest when he found that one little sweet spot inside of her and press rubbed. Planting her feet against the wall, she had to fight not to kick the damn thing as her legs trembled and she dropped her head back on his shoulder, breathing harshly through her nose. It wasn’t enough to make her come, but it was damn close and he knew it. His mouth was hot on her neck as he eased up the teasing and went back to the simple slide of his fingers around her clit, raising a brow when the brunette twisted her head to try and get him to move his hand off her mouth.

“What?” He breathed, trying to keep his voice low.

“ _You know what,_ ” Iza winced as she hooked the thumb of her injured hand in the waist of her pants and tried to tug them down. “Come _on_ , Catcher,”

“ _Be quiet, Little Bit_ ,” gently pulling his hand from between her thighs, he moved to help get her pants down and then worked on getting his down as well, grumbling at the way the bunk had begun to squeak beneath the weight of their movement. Waiting until she’d kicked her pants off beneath the blanket, he pulled her hips back and centered himself, burying his face in her hair to muffle the heavy groan that followed as he sank into her. He had to clamp his fingers over her mouth again when she let out one of those sweet, startled sounds of hers as he nudged himself all the way to the hilt and held himself there while she adjusted around him. When she wriggled against him, he snorted quietly into her hair and drew back slowly, pressing forward with a growl that was probably a little louder than it should’ve been.

Iza couldn’t control her breathing or the way she’d started to press back on him, though she did her best to swallow the harsh noises that rose in her throat each time his hips rocked forward. The hand grasping at her hip reached further between her thighs again to run those delicate circles around her clit until she was squirming hard enough to make the bunk rattle. They were being noisy. Not noisy enough to draw attention, but if he kept this up, she was going to bite his damn hand and wouldn’t be able to keep from calling out the way she wanted to.

And then suddenly, he stopped.

The heavy sound of trooper boots getting closer to the door had them both tensing and curling into each other to pretend they were simply sleeping. The blanket was pulled all the way up to their shoulders and Iza prayed that her pants hadn’t fallen to the floor. They listened as the door slid open and two tired sounding soldiers wandered in, carrying on a conversation with one another and not seeming to pay any mind to the two off in the corner. Iza would have been content to just wait for them to undress and get into bed had Catcher not decided to make good on his _devil_ threat and start rubbing the callused pads of his fingers against her again. Jerking lightly, she tried her hardest not to bite down on the fingers he still had covering her lips and thought she felt him smiling against the back of her neck. _Fuck_ —if he kept that up, she was going to come, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to be quiet about it.

Behind them, the two troopers continued their back and forth banter with one another and occasionally, the heavy _thunk_ of armor would hit the inside of one of the crates. Both of them seemed oblivious to the fact that Catcher was relentlessly teasing his Jedi General while she fought not to make a sound and squeezed herself tight around his cock. In fact, they’d barely seemed to notice there was anyone else in the room at all, only making a single comment in passing about _staying quiet_ because their brother was _sleeping_. Iza was trembling almost uncontrollably beneath the blanket when she heard the troopers finally climb into their own bunks and Catcher just kept up his taunting. Under the guise of sleepily getting comfortable, the bastard shifted behind her and shoved more of himself into her as his fingers gave her the perfect stroke and set off an orgasm that should’ve had her screaming into his palm. Instead, she grabbed hold of his wrist with her good hand and dug her nails in hard enough to almost break the skin.

She felt the low rumble in his chest before he pushed harder against her back, wrapping his arm around her waist to hold her to him as he followed after her and poured himself into her. He fought hard against the heaves of his chest, gripping the brunette tight until he was able to breathe like a normal person again. Nuzzling his face into the curve of her neck, he finally let his hand fall away from her mouth and pressed soft kisses against her skin while Iza snuggled back against his chest and shut her eyes.

“Hey, General Tacor?” One of the troopers piped from their bunk.

Iza’s eyes shot back open and she felt the sudden urge to vomit. Behind her, Catcher tensed horribly and grabbed her around the waist again in what she supposed was meant to be a protective manner. It only served to upset her stomach further. Clearing her throat, she swallowed hard against the bile rising in her throat and turned her head slightly.

“Yes?”

“You two should lock the door next time,” it was Popper. _Thank the fucking Force_. “That’s not really something Ze and I wanna witness.”

“Noted.”

“Be more careful,” Popper advised sleepily, turning over in his bed. “We’d hate to lose the two of you.”

“Also noted.”

The man grunted and she heard him shifting around, presumably to cover himself with his blanket. Iza thought she heard snickering and figured it must’ve been Ze. It would have to be; Popper took the situation too seriously to laugh about it. Behind her, Catcher sighed heavily into her hair and dropped his forehead against her shoulder, grumbling quietly as he relaxed and eased up his hold on her.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he mumbled, sounding stressed. “I thought for sure—”

“Me too,” she didn’t want to talk about it. “Go to sleep, Catch,”

“But—”

“Catcher,” twisting a little to look at him, she motioned towards the occupied bunks behind them with her eyes and then shot him a warning look before shaking her head. They’d have to wait until their comrades were fully asleep before they could pull away and get their clothes back into place where they belonged. Trying to do it now would cause more fussing.

“All right,” giving a relenting sigh and a brush of his lips across her cheek, Catcher nestled into her and shut his eyes. He hoped they’d both wake up in time to get their damn pants back on before anyone else caught on to what they’d done in here. They’d gotten lucky that it had been members of their own squad. Had it been men from the 212th, there was no telling what might’ve happened.

“ _Go to sleep, Catcher_ ,”

“I _am_ , General.”

“Don’t call me that,” Iza muttered, sounding a little flustered. “Not while—”

“ _Sleep_ , Little Bit.” Nipping her shoulder with a quiet chuckle, he hummed quietly and nuzzled his nose behind her ear. “Just sleep.”


	22. If I Fall, You're Going Down With Me

As promised, Iza and the Stars took the next few days off. Even she was grateful for the break, though she didn’t outwardly say so. Her arm had healed by the next morning and while she hadn’t been able to look Popper or Ze in the eye, neither of them said a single word about what had gone on in the bunk room. _Thank the Force._ Her squad was well aware of what had been going on between her and Catcher for a while now, but it was different when they were caught in the act.

On the morning of the third day, Iza had been in the middle of attempting to meditate in one of the crappy little chambers when she felt a distinct shift in the Force. It took her all of a nanosecond to recognize Obi-Wan’s signature and she’d almost screamed as she got to her feet and ran off towards the docking bay. Her bare feet slapped hard against the floor of the ship and her long hair and loose robes flew behind her as she dodged crew members and troopers in her hurry to meet him, reaching out to see if Anakin was with him. He was not, but another presence had her almost halting in her tracks entirely before she reached the hangar.

Master Windu.

A wave of nausea washed over her at the idea of having to face her Master in a place where she couldn’t hide from him, and while she felt Obi-Wan starting to reach out to her and coax her further inside the hangar, she hesitated. This was not what she wanted. She’d wanted only to see her lover and not the man who caused her great grief whenever she let a single thought of him enter her mind. But still Obi-Wan’s influence tugged at her and she continued walking despite these feelings and before she knew it, she was stepping into the hangar and found herself standing mere meters away from the two Masters.

She really tried not to look utterly betrayed as she stared at Obi-Wan when he smiled at her. Iza wanted very much to just run over and cling to him and kiss him—or perhaps drag him somewhere more private where they could do those things away from other people. But as her eyes shifted to Master Windu, who seemed to be busy looking off at something else in the hangar, she couldn’t stop herself from scowling. As if sensing her stare, the older Jedi turned his head to look at her like he was sizing her up, giving a light nod of acknowledgement before saying something to Obi-Wan and wandering off in the direction he’d been looking previously. When he’d gotten far enough away, Obi-Wan finally moved from his spot and headed over to Iza, who raised her hands like she wanted to push him, only to drop them back at her sides.

“Why?” She asked in a quiet voice, hoping she wasn’t projecting her anger too much.

“My dear,” Obi-Wan reached out to rest his hand between her shoulders and guide her back out of the hangar, letting out a soft sigh as they walked. “I did not have a say in the matter.”

“Where is Anakin?”

“Still on his assignment, I suppose,” shrugging, Obi-Wan looked down at her. “Have you not spoken with him?”

“The transmission wouldn’t go through. We went through a bit of bad airspace last night.”

“I can assure you that he is fine, darling,” rubbing his hand across her back, Obi-Wan glanced over their shoulders to make sure they were not being followed and steered her down a maintenance hallway that was used mainly by service droids. Once they’d gotten behind several layers of doors, he pulled her down another shorter hallway and cupped her face in his hands, bringing her in for a gentle kiss. “My dear girl, do not be upset,”

“How can I not be?” _Force_ , she wanted to be closer. It wasn’t safe to even do this no matter how many doors and hallways they put between themselves and the rest of the crew on this ship. “I’ve missed you terribly and I can’t even have you to myself.”

“He will not be staying long,” resting his forehead to hers with a heavy sigh, the older Jedi ran his fingers into her hair and stole another kiss. “He has business elsewhere. He simply wanted to check up on you, my dear,”

“He’s checked. He can leave now.”

Laughing, Obi-Wan pulled back with a shake of his head and looked her over carefully, inspecting her as if checking for new blemishes. Tutting lightly, he swept his thumb over her cheek and smiled when she turned her head to kiss the inside of his wrist.

“Anakin told me how careless you’ve become,” she was surprised that his tone lacked its usual firmness. She had expected to be scolded severely for not being honest about the incident from a few days ago. “I understand how you feel, my darling girl. But you must not put yourself in such danger because you are lonely.”

“It’s not loneliness, Obi-Wan,” taking his hand from her face, she pressed it against her chest and frowned hard. “Can you feel it? Can you feel how hollow—”

“Darling, I sensed it on the way in,” he dropped his hand to her waist and pulled her in close. “I do believe you require more time off of the battlegrounds than you may enjoy.”

“But I _can’t_ ,” shaking her head, she pouted. “My men—they need me, Obi-Wan. I can’t just abandon them.”

“Would you trust them in the hands of another?”

“ _Never_ ,”

“Not even Anakin?”

Iza looked conflicted. Sure, she would trust them with Anakin, but she didn’t know if the Stars would _listen_ to him. They’d had a hard enough time adjusting to _her_ in the beginning, and they’d barely taken orders from Windu. It had taken a long time for her to build up the amount of trust and respect that they had for one another now; sending them off to Anakin’s care would likely do a great deal of damage to that.

“It’s not that I don’t trust him,” she leaned into him and rested her head in the center of his chest, taking a deep breath and inhaling the smell of him that she’d missed so much. She needed to find out what that damn linen soap was. “It’s _them_ who may be untrusting.”

“Perhaps they could use the downtime as well,” moving his hand from her chest up into her hair, Obi-Wan sighed quietly and cradled her head where it was settled. “You’re worrying me, my love,”

Iza didn’t mean to make the noise that came out of her, and she didn’t mean to grab onto his robes the way that she did. But there was something about hearing him call her that— _unprompted_ —that just made something inside of her snap. Turning her head, she buried her face in his robes and curled into him while he brought her in closer and moved to lean up against the wall of the ship, bowing his head to rest his chin against the top of hers.

“Please consider coming back to Coruscant with me,” he murmured, rubbing his thumb along the back of her neck. “Master Windu will be away for a short while, and Anakin will be able to join us when he has finished his assignment. I know this is not your ideal scenario for us, darling, but it is all I can offer to keep you safe right now.”

“I’m safe,” why was she arguing? He was offering her a chance to be back with him where she’d been _pining_ to be for weeks now. Why was it so ingrained in her damn head that she needed to be out and fighting this stupid war?

“My sweet,” pulling back to look at her with a shake of his head, Obi-Wan couldn’t even manage to fake a smile to go along with his huffy laugh. “You are far from safe,”

Iza stared at him. Could he sense something within her that she could not? There was that hollowness she’d pointed out, but she would’ve thought that Catcher might have said something if there was something _else_ going on with her. Her behaviors as of late were certainly more reckless, but no more aggressive than usual. Not that she could really tell, anyway. Then again—she had a hard time noticing these things in the first place.

“Do not look so startled,” running his knuckles beneath her chin, he leaned down to press a light kiss to her lips in the hopes of soothing her. “You are simply out of balance, darling. You are not in danger of—”

“ _Quiet_ ,” pulling away from him, Iza frowned and peered down one of the hallways they’d ventured down. Swearing under her breath as she heard the doors opening, she looked back at him and pressed her lips together tightly. “He’s coming.”

“There is no rule against me speaking with you, Iza,”

“No, but he’s going to take me away,” she looked around, wishing he hadn’t backed them into a corner like this. The only place to go was down another maintenance tunnel and she didn’t have access to it. Cussing again, the brunette ran her fingers through her hair and rocked uneasily on her heels as Master Windu’s signature got closer. “ _Go away_ ,”

It halted. She couldn’t tell how close he was, but she hadn’t heard footsteps. He definitely wasn’t close enough to have heard her. For a solid minute she stood there staring at the closed door, waiting. She thought she felt a push along the bond link she shared with her Master and had to fight not to push back; it was gentle and curious. He wasn’t trying to shove his way in like before. It seemed more like a request to be allowed in rather than a demand and she didn’t know what to do. Everything in her soul screamed to reject him. She didn’t want him to take the invitation and scrub his way through the hollow parts of her like he had before. She didn’t need him to see the _reasons_ she hadn’t been herself since the last time they’d seen one another. Iza didn’t need him to know more than he likely already did. The confirmation he wanted was right in front of him and he was _asking_ permission to see it.

Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly and pushed back, denying him the access he wanted. Her hands twitched and trembled at her sides as she waited for a response, expecting nothing less than a full bombardment along the link. What she got was another soft nudge— _disappointment_ ; _acceptance; withdrawal_ —and then his signature was moving away. Iza felt the hard crash of her knees hitting the floor before she realized she’d dropped, heard Obi-Wan say something behind her but it didn’t quite translate right in her ears. His hands came to rest on her shoulders when he crouched in front of her, blue eyes full of concern. His face blurred for a moment, returning to clarity when the bubble of tears broke and streamed down her cheeks.

“Darling?” His thumbs couldn’t move quickly enough to catch her tears. “ _Iza_ , what is the matter?”

“He’s gone,” she whispered, reaching up to grab hold of his wrists. Her breathing came in shallow heaves as the realization sank in that Master Windu had not only respected her request for privacy, but he’d almost completely yanked himself free from their bond in the Force. There were only threads of it left streaming from Iza’s end and she didn’t know what to do with them. Panic rose in her chest and her hands moved along Obi-Wan’s arms, fingers digging into him as she tried to scramble to her feet while a terrified scream got caught in her throat. “ _He’s **gone**!_”

“Iza!” Holding her back was nearly impossible with the way she struggled and Obi-Wan soon found himself clutching nothing but her outermost layer of clothing while she took off like a shot through the halls of the starship. “ _Iza!_ ”

Bare feet slapped hard against the cold floor of the ship, steering her blindly as she reached along what was left of the bond to seek Windu out. He hadn’t gone far. Back to the hangar. Iza felt horribly sick and dizzy when his back came into view and he didn’t turn around.

“ _Master!_ ”

No response. Not even a twitch. He continued to walk across the hangar floor to where Ponds stood waiting for him. She tried to run faster and stumbled over her feet, catching herself to continue her chase.

“Master _please!_ ” Iza fell to her knees behind him, reaching to grab hold of his cloak to try and stop him. It was only then that Mace halted and appeared to sigh, shoulders sagging lightly before he turned to look down at her with an almost apologetic gleam in his dark eyes.

“This is what you wanted, Jedi,” he said in that firm, cool tone of his. “You no longer wish for me to provide my guidance.”

“Don’t abandon me, Master,” Iza pulled on him, unsure if she’d be able to speak much without losing the contents of her stomach. “ _Please_ , Master Windu,”

“You’ve distanced yourself from me, my apprentice. You refuse to share even the most minute of details with me. You no longer follow the path that I hoped you would,” reaching down, Mace slowly began to pull Iza’s fingers free from the thick material of his cloak. “I’m sorry, but our journey together must end here.”

“You _can’t_ ,” she caught his hand in hers and gripped it, wondering if he could feel how hard she was shaking. “What will I do? Master Windu, _I’m begging you_ —”

“That is enough, Jedi,” he hadn’t taken his hand back, but Iza could tell he wanted to. She couldn’t even reach across the broken threads of the bond anymore; he was completely blocking her out. It was like there was nothing but empty space on the other side where he should be and the more she felt around and found nothing, the more terrified she became. “Please release me, Jedi Tacor.”

“I can’t,” Iza was going to pass out. There was a coldness creeping up inside of her that threatened to wrap itself around her heart and freeze it and it was taking everything she had to fight it off. Shaking her head up at him, the brunette tried to squeeze his fingers harder and felt her hand close in on itself. _How?_ When had he slipped free of her grasp? Frantically, she swiped out to try and snag his cloak again, only for him to step away before she could even brush her fingertips against the fabric. “Master **please**! _I’m **sorry**!_”

“So am I.”

Iza could only watch as he boarded a gunship with Ponds behind him. The Clone cast a soft look in her direction before disappearing up the ramp. Before she could even get to her feet, the doors were closing and the ship was lifting off and there was nothing she could do about it. Numbly, she tried to chase it. Stumbling across the floor of the hangar, she followed after the ship until it took off into the stars and left her behind. The brunette stood there hyperventilating, unsure what to do with her hands as she flexed her fingers and tried to get the feeling back into them. Someone was calling her name. Obi-Wan, perhaps. _She was so fucking **cold**._ Cold and sick and weak. There was a burning, too; low in her gut where she usually stored her anger, a fire had ignited and blazed alongside the iciness flooding her veins. The combination of sensations smothered her and made it hard to breathe.

The hard crash of trooper armor against her back knocked the wind out of her, but she didn’t fight off the strong arms that lifted her off her feet and started to drag her out of the hangar. Limply, her head dropped back onto the shoulder of the soldier that held her, lolling as the room spun and that strange burning feeling consumed her. Something silver caught her eye and she forced herself to focus on it; an earring. _Catcher_. Through the heavy haze, she could sense him. _Panic._ That was what she felt along their bond. Such an extreme sense of panic that it made the pressure in her chest even worse and made her grab for the arms he had wrapped around her, pulling to try and loosen them. When he fought against her relentless tugging, Iza let out a hoarse holler and kicked her legs out, hitting something solid and unforgiving. Pain shot up her leg, turning into more of that boiling anger that just kept building and crashing against her in painful waves.

“ _Little Bit!_ ” She couldn’t tell if he was scolding her or trying to calm her. She couldn’t even see his face. The blinding lights of the hallway ceiling were so damn bright that they blotted out everything.

“ _I can’t see_ ,” straining against his hold, Iza let out a hard sob and thrashed in his arms again. No amount of blinking or turning her head made it any easier for her eyes to focus. Screaming out in frustration, she heard the sound of something electric _pop_ loudly nearby. The smell of burning wires invaded her nostrils and choked her, but she still couldn’t see what was happening. “ ** _Catcher_** _!_ ”

“I have you,” he grunted in her ear, trying like hell to keep hold of her while she twisted and wriggled like a mad cat. “Sweetheart, please—”

“Give her here,” Obi-Wan’s smooth voice was garbled in her ears but Iza knew that soft lilt anywhere. She sensed the hesitation on Catcher’s end, felt him tighten his arms around her, and then let out a soft cry when he relinquished his hold on her to pass her over to the older Jedi. His arms were softer and she was immediately enveloped in the gentle smell of him, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside of her. Everything boiled and burned and felt like it was freezing up all at once and Iza didn’t know how to stop it. There was emptiness in her chest where Master Windu should’ve been. She couldn’t call out to him, couldn’t plead for his help. The threads of their bond had burned away and there was nothing left but the memories in her head and the teachings he’d given. She could reach into the Force for eternity and would never find her Master again.

“Darling,” she barely felt Obi-Wan’s hand when it came to rest against her forehead, but she was thankful that it’d blocked out some of that blinding light from above. “Come back,”

“Where have I gone?” Wasn’t she on the starship? She was sure that was where she’d been just minutes before all hell had broken loose.

“You are too close,” they were moving through the hallway again. Iza could feel each of his footsteps pounding against the floor as he hurried to bring her _somewhere_. “Come back to me, darling,”

“He left,” stretching a blind hand out, Iza felt her fingers brush against Obi-Wan’s bearded cheek. “ _He left, Obi-Wan_ ,”

They’d reached their destination. The light was different here and it smelled heavily of bacta and painkillers. Above her, she heard him say something to Catcher. She couldn’t understand it, but it must’ve been important. She felt Catcher’s distinct signature start to move away and she felt another sick wave of anxiety wash over her. Was he going to leave, too? Obi-Wan shouted something when she twisted in his arms and threw her hands out in the direction she’d felt the Clone move off in, but Iza’s desperate cry drowned him out. Big hands clamped down over hers, gloved fingers slipping between the spaces as a familiar forehead came crashing down against hers painfully.

“ _Little Bit_ ,” _stars_ , he sounded strained. “I’m not leaving. I’m _not_.”

“It hurts.” Try as she might to pull away from Obi-Wan, Iza just couldn’t seem to get free. “Catcher—I think…”

“ _Quiet_ ,” one hand was shaken from her grip and she felt him gathering her against his armored chest. Obi-Wan stayed close, but she felt him moving around behind them. “We won’t let it happen,”

“ _I can’t **see** , Catcher,_”

“You’re safe,” he parked her on the edge of something. It felt like a table. They must’ve been in the medbay if the smell was anything to go by. “I promise you that you’re safe, Little Bit.”

“It’s not like before,” shaking fingers sought out his face in the brightness that clouded her vision and she let out a soft sound when Catcher caught her hand in his and pressed his lips to the tips. “Catch, I can’t fight it. _I can’t_.”

“You _can_ , sweetheart,” his voice was getting rough. It was hard to tell whether or not he believed his own words. “We can help you.”

“I’m _cold_ ,” yet, she felt sweat pouring down her face and the back of her neck.

“ _Kenobi_ ,” Catcher sounded like he was losing his damn mind with worry. “I can’t do this by myself!”

“I’m trying to find—”

Both Iza and Obi-Wan seemed to still at the same time, leaving Catcher utterly confused. Somewhere in the background chatter of the cruiser, he thought he heard something about a starship coming in to the hangar, but it went over his head as he tried to get Iza to snap back to alertness. He felt that strange panic rising in his chest again when she began to breathe in sharp, labored pants, blind eyes shifting back and forth as her nails dug into his skin as new tears trickled down her cheeks. Before he could stop her, she was shoving him out of the way and shouldering past Obi-Wan when he tried to block her from leaving the room. Both men swore at the top of their lungs and turned to chase after her, shouting for her to stop. Obi-Wan seemed far more concerned about keeping her out of the hangar but Catcher couldn’t figure out why. He hadn’t heard anything about Windu’s gunship returning; just the starship.

Oh— _Force_.

“ ** _ANAKIN_** _!_ ”

Iza’s terrified sounding yell echoed through the space as the younger Jedi rushed down the ramp, blue eyes wild. There was a feral look to his features and he charged at her at top speed, Ahsoka trailing after him in confusion. The two Jedi met in the middle in a hard clash of bodies, knocking the air out of each other’s lungs and falling to the floor of the hangar in a tangle of limbs and robes. Anakin’s long fingers buried themselves deep in Iza’s thick hair, pulling at the roots as he pushed his forehead into hers with bruising force and growled through gnashed teeth. Iza’s arms had gone around him tight, fingers dragging desperately down his back as she fought to get closer. Her nails marked up the leather of his tabard and she breathed in great, heaving gasps as she stared into his blue eyes with her blinded amber colored ones.

“What did he do to you?” Anakin’s voice was a thick snarl when he finally managed to speak, eyes remaining completely fixed on Iza’s as though the hangar didn’t even exist around them. “ _What did he do?_ ”

“Gone,” somehow, she was even colder now. She’d been hoping that Anakin’s embrace would bring some kind of warmth to her shivering body, but it only served to make everything inside of her feel much worse than before. “He’s…”

“ _Anakin!_ ” Obi-Wan grabbed hold of the younger man by the back of his robes and hauled him away from the brunette, dragging him back a few feet even as Iza shrieked in protest. “Catcher— _grab her!_ ”

The Commander really didn’t need to be told. He’d already moved to snatch the Jedi up from her spot on the floor, grunting when she planted a foot against his stomach and knocked him back. Growling, Catcher reached out and caught her by the ankle, dragging her back towards him until he could snag her wrists and pull her upright. Iza hollered like she’d gone thermal, twisting and kicking out so hard that he worried he might actually hurt her by restraining her. Across the way, Obi-Wan was having just as difficult a time trying to keep Anakin restrained. The taller man pulled and snarled savagely against his hold, actually swinging his head down with the intention of cracking his skull against that of his lover’s. His eyes were full of the same kind of fury Iza’s were, but thankfully—held none of that dangerous golden hue.

“Ahsoka—” Obi-Wan did his best to pull Anakin further away from Iza, praying that putting distance between them might help in _some_ way. “Force cuffs. I need—”

“ ** _LITTLE BIT_** ,”

Iza had managed to get free from her Commander’s grasp and was charging headlong at the two. Anakin yanked hard at Obi-Wan’s hold on him and the older man felt his grip weakening. Taking in a deep breath, Obi-Wan swore quietly and let one hand fall away to hold it out in front of him and stop Iza dead in her tracks with a wall of Force energy. He felt the blazing anger ripping through her as it flooded their bond, but it was her outraged scream at being kept away from Anakin that almost did him in. He didn’t want to do this; under any other circumstances, he might’ve just allowed them to have their reunion. But Iza was tipping off the edge of a very dangerous cliff and Anakin was so neatly tucked away in her heart that he would most certainly go right along with her if she nudged him the right way. It was part of the reason Obi-Wan hadn’t wanted them to bond at all. They were too damn similar in nature and they both held onto their pain in ways they knew they shouldn’t. Master Windu had done a terrible thing by breaking his bond so abruptly and if Obi-Wan got out of this in one piece, he was going to have some serious fucking _words_ with that man.

“Ahsoka,” he didn’t know how long he’d be able to hold onto both Jedi without those damn cuffs. “In the starship, under the—”

“Don’t listen to him, Ahsoka,” Anakin snapped, turning his head to look at his Padawan. The crazed look in his eye startled the girl. She’d never seen anything like it. Anakin was always so kind, even when he lectured or scolded her. But that look reminded her of an animal ready to pounce on its prey and it worried her. Looking between the two men, then back at Iza when the older woman began screaming herself hoarse as Catcher hooked his arms around her again, Ahsoka turned and bolted back up the ramp of the starship to fetch the requested cuffs. If it was going to somehow help her Master, then she’d do it. Against Anakin’s wishes, she would do it.

“ _Catcher, **GET OFF**!_” Iza was struggling to get her feet back on the ground, toes brushing the surface of the hangar floor but not getting enough grip for her to plant them so she could toss the man off over her shoulders. Every time she thought she had enough leverage, he’d haul her back up and put such a strain on her back that it felt like he was going to snap her spine. She could hurt him if she wanted to. She could rip something off of the wall nearby and strike him down without batting a damn eyelash. But she didn’t want to do that. Iza just wanted to get at Anakin and that sweet pull of his bond. She didn’t want any of the comfort being pushed along the other bonds she shared— _just Anakin_.

“I can’t do that,” Catcher hissed back, dragging her as far back from the other two Jedi as he could.

“Let me go to him,” she wheezed, trying to grab for his shoulders. Maybe if she flipped herself over him she could get free. “Catch— _I need him_.”

“I know you do, sweetheart,” shaking his head as he managed to get her close enough to a storage closet, he kicked the panel to get the door open and grunted when she butted her head against his chin. “Little Bit, _please_ ,”

“Catcher don’t, _don’t_ ,” spreading her arms to grab the doorway when he tried to pull her into the closet, Iza let out a holler that Anakin mirrored across the hangar. It was truly a horrifying thing to hear them shouting out with the same amount of pain in their voices, especially since Anakin had only just barged in on Iza’s turmoil. There was no reason for him to behave this way. As he yanked her into the closet and got the door closed, Catcher wondered just what sort of pull his lover had on that boy. How deeply rooted were their bonds within each other?

Something hit the other side of the door hard enough to crack the transparisteel window and Iza let out a violent roar of anguish that definitely wasn’t her own. Catcher couldn’t stand this. The little Jedi was pouring sweat and tears and her skin was so fucking cold and clammy in his arms. He felt every flex and bunch of her muscles as she strained to get free from his grasp, heard the soft grind of her joints as she pulled with the kind of force that should’ve popped her arms from her sockets. But she was growing tired; the heavy wheezing and the way she kept sagging against his chest were proof of that. He supposed he should count himself lucky she hadn’t used any of her Force tricks on him. He knew damn well that the Jedi could easily have stopped his heart with a snap of her fingers or strangled him with a simple thought. But she didn’t seem interested in _hurting_ anyone; she just wanted to get at Anakin. For what reason, he didn’t know. He wasn’t sure he _wanted_ to know, truthfully.

“Catcher,” she writhed against his chest and knocked her head against his, still doing her best to tug her arms out from his hold. “Catcher it _hurts_ ,”

“I know sweetheart,” he hated this. He didn’t want to hurt her. Even when they fought as violently as they sometimes did, he never wanted to hurt her. “I know,”

“Please let me go,”

“I can’t do that.”

“ _Please?_ ”

She was going to kill him with that tone. It brought back horrible memories of things he didn’t want to think about. The way she’d been, how she’d felt—he didn’t want this. Not for her, not for himself, not for anyone on the other side of that door. Another solid crash against the door had Iza rocketing forward in his hold, kicking her feet out and screaming until her voice cracked. Catcher couldn’t hold her anymore. Her sweat-slick skin slipped against his armor and she squirmed free, forcing the door open with a wave of her hand before bolting out.

“ _IZA!_ ”

The brunette tripped on something soft and warm that lay just outside the front of the door. A body. A small, female body. _Ahsoka_. Catcher could see the girl’s back rising and falling as she breathed; thank the _Force_. She was just unconscious. He turned his eyes back to Iza as she scrambled to her feet and dashed over to where Obi-Wan was struggling to get Anakin’s wrists clamped in the stupid shackles. The taller Jedi still wore that twisted look on his face and looked ready to rip the older man’s head from his shoulders. Like Iza, he was hesitating. Something inside of him wouldn’t let him truly harm Obi-Wan, no matter how much he wanted to. The older Jedi sported a busted lip and fought hard to keep his hold on the other man. Somehow, he’d managed to get one cuff locked around Anakin’s wrist and just needed to get the other in place so that _maybe_ —just maybe—he could gain some control over this situation.

“ _Anakin!_ ”

The boy froze and looked around wildly, blue eyes settling on the brunette as she rushed forward. The moment of distraction was all Obi-Wan needed to get the cuff locked around Anakin’s other wrist before reaching out to both of them and flicking his fingers into closed fists. Both Jedi dropped where they stood in a dead faint and for a long moment, Obi-Wan just stood there breathing heavily as sweat dripped down the sides of his face. Running tired, trembling hands through his hair, he knelt to carefully turn Anakin onto his back as Catcher ran up to collect Iza in his arms, looking horrified.

“Do not… wake her,” the Jedi warned, holding a restraining hand out. “Get a set… of cuffs on her.”

“What did you do?” Catcher looked horribly conflicted. Iza didn’t appear to be hurt—neither did Anakin, for that matter—but he’d never seen anything like that before.

“I put her to sleep. I put them both to sleep.” He needed a minute. The struggle had taken more out of him than he’d expected it to. Leave it to Anakin to burst in at the most inopportune moment. “Just get the cuffs and check Ahsoka.”

“She’s all right,” looking over his shoulder to where he’d propped the unconscious Padawan against the wall, Catcher thinned his lips and held tighter to the brunette in his arms. “She’s not injured.”

“ _Go_ , Catcher,” Obi-Wan sounded like he was not going to ask again. “ _Now_.”

“Yes sir,”

Watching as the Commander got to his feet and shot off to go fetch a pair of the requested cuffs, Obi-Wan moved to check on Iza. The girl looked so damn innocent now that she was asleep. All traces of that terrified, near-demonic face she’d worn had vanished and she looked much like herself; perhaps paler. Her robes and her hair were soaked in sweat but when he reached down to brush the latter off her face, she was cold to the touch. Too close. That had been entirely too damn close for comfort. He would have been able to handle her sooner if Anakin had not popped in when he had and made it so much worse. They really did fuel the fires inside of one another in the worst of ways, but Obi-Wan knew that if he tried to reach in and sever their bond, it would only spell trouble. Not only for him, but for _them_. They’d taken up such deep roots within each other and within the Force energy that surrounded them that if one fell, the other would surely go too. What the hell would he do with them, then? Holding onto them would be near impossible without going over alongside them and he’d certainly felt Iza trying to yank at him desperately when she’d started spiraling. If he didn’t have the kind of restraint he did, Obi-Wan wasn’t sure if he’d have been able to resist the way she called to him.

It almost made him laugh as he recalled telling Anakin how they had no restraint when it came to her. Perhaps he’d been right. If he felt tempted enough to call upon something dark in order to drop them where they stood the way he had— _yeah_ ; her influence on their _restraint_ was telling. This one needed to be taken away from the violence and aggression of the battleground before more damage could be done to her. And Mace— _Mace_ was going to get a fucking earful, and quite possibly a good jack to the jaw the next time he saw him. The man had never been known for having a gentle bedside manner but _Force_ , he could’ve waited to do this. Of everyone in the galaxy, that man should’ve known how fragile of a situation this was. Hell, Mace had been the one to give Obi-Wan the warning at the very beginning that his apprentice had a tendency to be thrown out of balance and required a large amount of monitoring. He and Anakin had been so fucking _careful_ with her, with only a few small incidents, and now this.

“Master?” Ahsoka’s pained tone startled the hell out of him and he looked up from his spot to find the dazed Padawan standing over him.

“Ahsoka,” straightening, he set his hands on her shoulders and looked her over. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” nodding, she rubbed the back of her head and shut her eyes as she cringed. “What happened?”

“I’m afraid that’s a very… complicated explanation, young one.”

“Has she turned?”

“No,” shaking his head, Obi-Wan turned his attention to where he heard the heavy clomp of trooper boots approaching, reaching to take the cuffs Catcher held out. Kneeling, he carefully snapped the cuffs around Iza’s wrists and gestured for the man to pick her up. “She has not turned.”

“And Anakin?”

Obi-Wan sighed, crouching to pick the younger man up and toss him over his shoulder. For someone so slender, he was _heavy_.

“Anakin has not turned either, Ahsoka. They’ll be all right.” Looking to Catcher, Obi-Wan lightly tongued the split in his lip and nodded towards the doorway. “We’ll take them into the medbay and sedate them, and then I think it’d be wise to put them in holding. _Separately_.”

“Can we even keep them there?” Catcher asked, following Obi-Wan as he started for the stairs.

“That’s the point of the cuffs,” letting out a soft laugh, the older man readjusted Anakin on his shoulder and gestured for Ahsoka to get the door for them. “They can’t get out without the Force, and they won’t be able to influence each other as heavily.”

“It’s because of the bond, isn’t it?” The Clone frowned down at Iza’s sleeping face, hating that he could still feel that turgid storm rolling inside of her along their link. “The way they were behaving?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Obi-Wan didn’t meet the eyes of anyone that they passed. He’d been quite thankful that the crew had kept their distance while they’d dealt with the issue in the hangar, but he had a horrible feeling that someone—hopefully no one from _his_ battalion—was going to ask questions or say something they shouldn’t to the wrong person. “Ahsoka, I must ask you to find the men from Iza’s squad. Let them know we’ll need security detail down in the holding area. I don’t trust anyone else with these two.”

“Yes Master,” nodding, the Padawan turned and ran off down the hall, leaving the two men behind.

“What did he do?” Catcher asked as they carried the two unconscious Jedi into the medbay where they were met by a very frazzled looking droid. Ignoring it as it trilled and beeped at them, he set Iza down on one of the examination tables and moved to help relieve Obi-Wan of Anakin. “What did she mean when she said _he left?_ ”

Obi-Wan let out a harsh rush of breath and moved the hair off of his face as he turned to start rummaging through drawers full of medicine and supplies, ignoring the droid that chirped at him angrily.

“Her Master broke his link with her,” gesturing to the drawer, he turned to the drawer. “Where do you keep the sedatives? The strong ones?”

“You do not appear to be in need—”

“Listen you tin can— _give me the fucking drugs before I have you repurposed into a_ —”

“General Kenobi,” Catcher looked highly unsettled by the outburst. He’d never seen that kind of behavior from the Jedi before, never _heard_ of him behaving like this before. Faintly, he wondered if this had anything to do with the current situation and perhaps Iza’s influence along their bond. He knew _he_ was feeling a bit on the agitated side, but he wasn’t Force sensitive the way they were. The most it would do was put him into a real bad mood for a few hours.

Pulling himself together, Obi-Wan turned his gaze elsewhere and let out an indignant huff.

“Just give me the damn drugs,” he sounded rough and while Catcher could definitely sympathize, it was starting to make him worry a little bit. What the fuck was he going to do if this one went feral on him too? The older man moved to brace his hands against the edge of a nearby table, shutting his eyes as he hung his head and grit his teeth, knowing full well the Clone Commander was staring at the back of his head. He was fighting so hard against the desire to throw everything in this room around and scream at the top of his lungs; he couldn’t even explain why the urge was so great. He knew it had something to do with the two Jedi passed out behind him—mainly the more tumultuous of the pair.

“Master Jedi,” the droid set two vials beside him on the table as well as an intimidating looking syringe. “Would you like me to administer the sedatives?”

“Please,” he didn’t trust his hands. He could keep them steady as long as they were planted firmly against something, but his fingers started trembling the second he lifted them away.

“Very well,”

He heard the droid move away from him and tried to take a deep breath. He needed to center himself before they tried to get these two locked away. If he could just get his mind to _shut up_ and stop replaying the horrible sound of his two lovers screaming out for each other the way that they had, maybe he’d be able to do that. _Force_ , that noise had almost torn him in half; made him feel like the worst kind of bastard for having to keep them apart. He’d very nearly caved at one point, too. But when Anakin had tossed Ahsoka like he had, Obi-Wan knew he couldn’t let them have each other. He didn’t want to know what kind of destruction they could cause if they fell together, especially not when he knew the kind of Darkness Anakin held within himself.

“Kenobi,” Catcher’s voice startled him out of his thoughts and he upset a stack of datapads piled on the table he leaned against, turning to look back at the other man with both brows raised.

“Yes?” He had to clear his throat. “What is it?”

“We should move them,” the Clone stared at him strangely and he got the distinct feeling that the man didn’t trust him. That was fair; Obi-Wan wasn’t sure he trusted himself, either. “The droid said we could come back if we needed more.”

“Right,” doing what he could to collect himself, Obi-Wan moved back over to where Catcher had set Anakin down, feeling a soft pang of _something_ in his stomach as he stared down into the younger man’s face. Guilt. That’s what that feeling was. This whole thing could’ve been prevented if he’d just insisted on Anakin picking a more stable woman for their activities. But no—it _had_ to be that one. And Obi-Wan _had_ to be the kind of sucker to give in to whatever his loved one wanted. Such a foolish man he was, really. Carefully lifting Anakin off of the table, he hefted him over his shoulder and grunted at the weight again. _Stars above_ , he’d be glad if he never had to haul him around like this ever again.

Nodding over at Catcher, Obi-Wan led the way out of the medbay and down the hall leading to the holding area. As they walked, he sincerely hoped that when these two woke, they’d be a lot calmer than they’d been. He already didn’t know how he was going to deal with this; trying to come up with a plan when they were both fighting like rabid animals to get to each other would make it so much worse.


	23. Who Is In Control?

Everything hurt. Her arms, her back, her stomach, her throat; her head felt like someone had tried to split it in two and the light was almost too bright when she tried to open her eyes. What worried her the most was the fact that she couldn’t _feel_ anything around her but the hard cot she rested upon. It was as though her senses had been stolen from her. She couldn’t move her arms either, and when she was finally able to get her eyes open without being blinded, Iza whimpered at the sight of the heavy cuffs on her wrists. Rolling off of the cot, she stood on wobbly legs and lurched towards the front of the small cell she’d been locked in, standing on her toes to try and peer through the window.

“ _Catcher?!_ ” Her voice was so strained she wasn’t sure anyone could hear her. When there was no answer, she pounded the shackles against the door and tried again, “ ** _CATCHER_** _!!_ ”

“General Tacor,” she couldn’t tell which one of the Stars it was. She wouldn’t know until she saw his face. “You need to settle down.”

“Where’s Catcher?”

“Sir,” he was hesitating. “Commander Catcher is busy at the moment.”

“I want him down here— _now!_ ”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, sir.”

“That’s an _order_ , trooper!”

“I’m sorry, General,” the man truly did sound apologetic. There was a rasp to his accented voice that she recognized, too. _Popper_. “I have orders from General Kenobi to keep you isolated.”

“Pop?” Grasping the bars, Iza shoved her toes through the slot used for delivering meals and pulled herself up to press her face against the little opening and try to get a better look at the soldier. “ _Popper, **please**_ ,”

“General, please get back,” stepping into her line of sight, Popper shot her a look of warning. She didn’t know what he’d do if she disobeyed, but she doubted he’d hurt her unless she gave him a real reason to.

“Pop,”

“Get _down_ , General,”

“ _Please?_ ” This was one of _her_ men. She’d worked hard to earn his trust and keep it. They’d been through a _lot_ together, too. He’d taught her so much about the different types of weaponry and ammunition the GAR used—more than Catcher would’ve liked, for sure. They’d pulled each other out of some tight spots and he kept one of her deepest secrets under wraps. They were brothers—in a sense. She didn’t think that he’d be so quick as to forget that.

“I can’t,” shaking his head, he nodded towards her hands. “Get off the door.”

“I am your _General_ ,” her fingers were going numb from clinging to the bars as hard as she was and the little flap on the slot where her toes were perched was cutting into the tops of her feet, but she had no intention of moving unless he planned on forcing her. “You will listen to _me_ , Popper.”

“Sir—”

“ _I’m scared_ ,” her voice cracked when she said it and she thought she saw him flinch. “Popper, I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know what’s going on. I can’t _feel_ anything— _please_.”

Even with that intimidating stare of his, she could tell he was conflicted. A slight tic had started near the tattoo that arced around his eye and she’d noticed a change in his breathing. Iza didn’t need the Force to know when someone felt uneasy about a situation. Pressing her lips together tightly, the brunette stretched her fingers through the bars and steepled them in a pleading gesture, watching the way Popper’s brow lightly flicked upward curiously.

“Pop, I’m begging you,” she shook her head at him and pressed her forehead to the bars. “ _Please,_ ”

She saw the way his nostrils flared as he exhaled and studied her with those honey-brown eyes that lacked the same hazel center as Catcher’s. After a long moment, he straightened his back and reached up to gently push her hands back into the cell, mouth curving downward in a soft frown.

“Please get off of the door, sir,”

Iza felt her face flush with heat before it twisted and the tears fell. Stepping down, she stared up through the window and watched his shadow move just outside. Her chest felt like it was on fire as she stood there and tried not to audibly sob, shoulders shaking hard enough to rattle the cuffs on her wrists. Utterly defeated, she sat down hard where she stood, finally pushing out the harsh breath that had been trying to burst its way out of her. Pulling her knees to her chest, Iza buried her head against them to muffle the sounds of her crying, rocking lightly to try and comfort herself. She didn’t understand this. What the hell had happened? Why was she down here? And why wasn’t Popper obeying her? Why the cuffs? Why did she feel so bruised? Why—

“Commander,” she picked her head when she heard Popper talking quietly on the other side of the door. “She’s awake.”

Iza almost kneed herself in the chin in her haste while trying to get to her feet, climbing up on the door again noisily.

“ _Catcher?!_ ”

“General, I said—”

“I want to talk to him,” Iza glared at Popper and shook futilely at the bars. “ _Popper_ , this isn’t fair! I don’t know what I’ve done!”

“Roger that,” Catcher’s voice came over the comm link in a haze of soft static and Iza just about choked on the next sob that left her, pushing her hands through the spaces of the bars to reach out to Popper.

“ _Please?_ ”

“Sir,” Popper stared at her as he held the comm link close to his mouth and hesitated. “I’m not sure how much more of this I can stand.”

“I’m on my way,”

Tucking the comm link back into the holster at his side, Popper reached up to try and push Iza’s hands back into the cell and jerked when she curled her fingers around his tightly. For a minute, he just stared at her while she squeezed his hand. Then he was pulling away and turning his back to her, shaking his head with a muffled curse.

“General Tacor,” he sounded like he was on his last bit of patience. “The Commander will be here momentarily. Please get off of the door and—”

“Aren’t we brothers, Pop?”

“Don’t… don’t do that,” he stiffened from head to toe, shoulders bunching uncomfortably beneath the plates of his armor. “General Tacor, don’t _do_ that.”

“Brothers help each other, Pop,” it was a cheap tactic—borderline cruel, really—but Iza was desperate and she didn’t know how else to get answers before Catcher arrived. “Popper, just tell me what I’ve done,”

“I don’t know,” he said softly, giving a slow shake of his head. He sounded very much like he wanted to walk away and maybe go blow something up so he didn’t have to feel whatever he was feeling in that moment. Iza couldn’t blame him; she’d probably feel the same if she were in his shoes. “They just asked me to watch your cell.”

“They?”

“Catcher and General Kenobi.”

“Pop,” licking her lips, the brunette strained to listen for Catcher’s footsteps. The stupid cuffs were blocking her ability to feel for his signature and it was driving her nuts. “Do you know where Anakin is?”

The Clone didn’t say anything, but she saw the way his shoulders twitched. _He knew_.

“Popper,” she wished she could get her hands further between the damn bars. “Popper, please talk to me,”

“I’ve already said more than I was supposed to, General,” he murmured, turning his head slightly to look at her over his shoulder. “I can’t tell you anything else.”

“Is he okay? Can you tell me that?”

“He’s fine, Little Bit,” Catcher’s voice carried down the hallway and Iza winced when she bashed her forehead into the bars trying to get a look at him before he came into view. The Commander gave a wave to Popper to dismiss him and stood in front of the door, looking wary as he eyed her.

“Catch,” she stretched her fingers out to him and whimpered. “Catcher, what’s going on?”

He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t move from his spot.

“You don’t remember?”

“ _No_.”

Her lover looked as though he didn’t quite believe her, studying her silently for a long time before he finally let out a relenting sigh and pointed.

“If I open this door, you better sit down and behave. If you try to leave, I will not hesitate to take you down Little Bit. Is that understood?”

She nodded slowly, confused.

“Get down and go sit on the cot.”

Iza’s movements were slow as she stepped down from the door again and went to go sit on the cot, waiting while he unlocked the door and stepped inside. She wanted so badly to run to him, but his warning echoed in her head and she decided she didn’t want to risk it. He didn’t get close enough for her to touch him and it made something in the middle of her chest ache. The look in his eye only made that ache worse. It was like he didn’t completely trust her—but _why?_

“Catch,” she couldn’t keep her jaw from wobbling as she swallowed hard and brandished her cuffed wrists at him. “What _is_ this?”

“You’re too close, Little Bit,” he said softly, those pretty eyes of his going a bit sad. “We can’t risk anything.”

“I can’t _feel_ you,” pressing her hands against her chest, she curled her fingers in her tunic and pulled. “I can’t feel anything. Catch— _I’m scared_.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Catcher looked like he wanted to move closer, maybe to touch her; she didn’t know. But he stayed rooted to his spot and just stared at her with those damn sad eyes of his. “I can feel it.”

“Did I hurt you?” Iza’s voice was soft and raspy as tears choked her before they streaked down her cheeks. “Did I hurt _them?_ ”

“No,” he shook his head and worked his jaw, his breathing starting to pick up a little. Iza couldn’t tell if he was feeding off of her anxiety or if it was his own upset she was seeing.

“Catcher,” the brunette knew that whining wasn’t going to get her anywhere and neither was the way she bounced in place like a frustrated child, but she didn’t know what to do. She had so many questions and no idea how to ask any of them. Squeezing her eyes shut against a fresh round of tears, she hesitantly reached her arms out and flexed her fingers at him, swallowing hard. “I need you,”

“I can’t, Iza,”

His words were like the punch of a blaster bolt to the chest. They knocked the wind out of her and left her feeling numb and sick. She made an indescribable noise; loud and pained and harsh. Her arms fell back down, the cuffs rattling loud when they hit her lap. She couldn’t breathe suddenly and she could feel a strange pain curling in beneath her ribcage. Pulling her legs up onto the cot, she pushed back against the wall and slid down onto her side, defeated. When had he _ever_ denied her the right to curl up and take comfort in his arms? What could she have done that was so terrible to revoke that privilege?

“You hate me,” she whispered, moving to cover her head as something cold and painful sank deep into her belly.

“I _don’t_ ,” his voice was thick and she could hear his breathing getting even heavier. “Little Bit, please understand… I want to hold you. I want to _so much_ , sweetheart. But I _can’t_.”

“Why?”

“Because Obi-Wan asked me not to,” Catcher sounded frustrated when he said it, like he hated that he had to obey the order at all. “It’s for your own good.”

“Get out,” Iza felt like she was going to throw up as she turned over onto her back.

“Sweetheart,” he took a step forward and grit his teeth, hands clenching into fists at his sides as he cussed under his breath. “Little Bit, I can’t lose you,”

“You’re on the right track for it,” she spat, hating herself for even saying it. “I need you. I need you and you won’t—”

The thin mattress dipped beneath the weight of the Clone as he crawled onto the cot beside her and collected her into his arms, holding her tight against his armored chest. He breathed in great, rolling heaves as he threaded his fingers into her hair and pressed his face into the side of her head, clutching her like he was afraid she’d disappear right in front of him if he didn’t hold on tight enough. The only thing that seemed to be missing was that sweet warmth of their bond, but not much could be done about that with the stupid cuffs in place.

“Don’t do this,” he whispered into her hair, bowing his head to nuzzle his nose behind her ear. “Don’t use my love for you against me, Little Bit. That’s not fair.”

“It’s not fair that I’m in here with no explanation.” Leaning into him, she sought his free hand and laced their fingers together. “It’s not fair that Popper wouldn’t listen to me, that you were willing to refrain from touching me— _and I don’t know **why**._”

“I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell you yet, sweetheart,” he kissed the spot behind her ear and squeezed her fingers, lightly brushing his lips further down her neck. “I will likely get in trouble for even being in this cell.”

“Obi-Wan holds no command over you,” turning her head to look at him, Iza eyed him and twisted in his hold to press her forehead to his. “You’re _mine_ , Catch. Just mine.”

“He is a High General, sweetheart,” smiling faintly, Catcher released his hold on her long enough for her to turn around the rest of the way, pulling her to him and giving a gentle bump of his head against hers. “I still have to follow his orders. We all do.”

“But you…” her fingers came up to brush his chin, noting the light bruise there. _Had_ she hurt him?

“I don’t have a choice, sweetheart,” sighing, he frowned at the look on her face and kissed the end of her nose. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“ _What happened, Catch?_ ”

“I told you,” his hand came up to move the hair out of her face. “You got too close. Too damn close.”

“What does that _mean?_ ”

“Iza,” planting his palm firmly against the curve of her jaw, Catcher drew in a deep breath and hesitated. He seemed to be mulling over a very big decision and wouldn’t look at her while he did it. Finally, he placed a gentle kiss to her lips and shook his head. “I can’t,”

Thumping the cuffs against his chest in frustration, Iza frowned at him and would have turned over again if he hadn’t decided to wrap her up in his arms again.

“I’m terrified, Little Bit,” he whispered, tucking his chin against the top of her head. “You need to understand… I’m not withholding information to hurt you.”

“Where is Obi-Wan?” Iza mumbled against his shoulder, scowling at the wall. “Will he tell me?”

“I’m not sure,”

“Give me the comm link, Catcher,”

“I can’t do that,”

“Give it to me or I’ll take it.” Pulling back to look at him, the brunette swallowed hard and ran her fingers along his jaw again. “My love, if _you_ will not tell me what I want to know, I need to talk to the man who will.”

“I can’t give you the comm link,” he held his hand up before she had a chance to start protesting. “But I will call for him.”

“I want to do it. Let me be the one to speak.”

“Sweetheart,” shutting his eyes with a heavy sigh, Catcher chewed the back of his tongue and shook his head. “Fuck— _all right_.”

Sitting up on the cot, Iza set her hands in her lap and watched while he dug the comm link out of a pouch on his belt. She had the near-irresistible urge to try and overpower him, to take the little tools she knew were in that belt and get herself free of these cuffs. But she couldn’t hurt him. No matter how upset and frustrated she was at being locked away with no explanation, she couldn’t lay hands on him like that. This wasn’t his fault; he didn’t deserve to get hurt just because _she’d_ done something to land herself here. Smiling faintly when he held the comm link out to her, his thumb holding the button down, Iza took a deep breath and let it out shakily.

“Obi-Wan?”

“ _Catcher_ ,” oh—he did **not** sound pleased. “Get out of that cell, _now_.”

“No, please— _wait_ ,” gently taking hold of Catcher’s wrist so he wouldn’t disconnect the line, Iza frantically fumbled for something to say. “Obi-Wan, what’s happening? What’s—”

“She’d better still be in those cuffs, Commander,”

“She is, sir,” Catcher pulled the link back, brushing Iza’s hands away with an apologetic look. “I haven’t removed them.”

“ _Obi-Wan!_ ”

“Darling,” he was losing his patience; she’d heard this tone before when he was tired of dealing with Anakin’s shenanigans. “We will talk. Let that man go.”

“I’ve done _nothing_. Not to Catcher, not to anyone!”

“He needs to be out of the cell, for your own good.”

“That’s not… Obi-Wan, my love— _please_ , don’t…”

“Do not argue with me, Iza,” if she had to bet, he was likely scowling. The foul look would twist his handsome features and make it difficult to recognize the man she knew and loved. “You must be isolated.”

“You promised,” sucking in a shivery breath, Iza was surprised she had any tears left in her to cry. “You promised you wouldn’t take him from me.”

“I am not taking him, darling,” that tone was softer now, if only marginally. “But he cannot be in that room with you.”

“You won’t even tell me _why_. Obi-Wan, I don’t understand what’s happening,” Iza gave a frustrated thump of her hands against her thighs and dropped her head forward. “I keep trying but I remember _nothing_. Just… just cold and emptiness.”

“Do not focus on those things, Iza,” his voice had gone firm again and he sounded hurried now. “Catcher— _out_ of that cell.”

“Sir,” Catcher hesitated when Iza whimpered beside him and dropped herself down onto the cot. “Are we sure that’s—”

“I am on my way— _get out_.”

“Yes sir,” cutting the call, Catcher let out a slow breath and shut his eyes, running his fingers through his hair. He didn’t want to do this; he would much rather stay with her until Kenobi showed up. Turning to look at her, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’m sorry, Little Bit.”

“Have I fallen again, Catch?” Iza’s voice was tight and tiny and she didn’t look at him, her fingers twisting in the thin blanket beneath her. “Is that why—”

“No sweetheart,” he slid his fingers beneath her chin to turn her head towards him, shaking his head when she shifted her gaze to his. “No.”

“Then why…?”

“ _Catcher_ ,” Obi-Wan’s stern voice startled both of them and they turned to see the older Jedi standing in the doorway. “ _Out_.”

Nodding, Catcher moved to leave when Iza grabbed his hand, sitting up on the cot. The sad, scared look on her face broke him, but there wasn’t anything he could do. He knew Obi-Wan would explain things better than he could. Giving a gentle squeeze to her fingers, he leaned in and kissed her sweetly, lightly knocking his head against hers with a smile.

“Love you, Little Bit,” he whispered, squeezing her hand again. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Catch,” she tried to cling to his hand as he pulled away, failing as he wriggled free from her grasp and shot Obi-Wan a disapproving look on his way out. Iza wanted very much to get up from the cot and chase after him as he strode slowly out of the door, but something held her back. Likely Obi-Wan. When the door slid shut with a solid _clank_ , she let out the harsh breath she’d been holding and covered her face with her hands.

“My dear, sweet girl,” warm fingers slid deep into her hair and cradled the back of her head as the musky smell of linen soap invaded her nose. “Please understand I am not trying to punish you. I want only to keep you safe.”

“Safe from _what?!_ ” Dropping her hands as she yelled up at him, Iza balled her fingers into fists and tugged at the restraints. “What could possibly be so damn dangerous that you need to put me in here, _alone?_ With these _fucking things_ —”

“Yourself, my darling,” his blue eyes weren’t unkind, but the usual warmth they held wasn’t present either. He looked _tired_. “And Anakin,”

“ _Anakin?_ ” Blinking as she reeled back, the brunette made a face. “What—”

“The two of you have sparked the darkness within each other,” he seemed to hesitate before he sat beside her, pulling her closer but not quite onto his lap. “I only wish to protect you both.”

“Where is he?”

“Safe, darling. Same as you.”

“ _Where, Obi-Wan?_ ”

The older man smiled and brushed hair off of Iza’s face, tucking it lightly behind her ear. She didn’t think he was going to tell her. The look on his face screamed _secrecy_. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to force it out of him, either. Unlike Catcher and his brothers, she didn’t hold the same sort of influence over him. Well—she had _some_ influence over him, but she wasn’t sure it would work in this situation. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try. Leaning in, she rested her forehead to his and shut her eyes, nuzzling her nose against his affectionately. Iza heard the soft hitch of breath in his throat that he immediately exhaled, and pressed closer. Brushing her mouth over his, she felt his lips tense before he tilted up to meet her in a soft kiss. She tasted every last bit of hesitation and worry and _fear_ on his tongue when he tentatively eased it into her mouth, but what bothered her most was the lack of _trust_ in his kiss. Like he knew this was meant to be a bargaining chip for information on Anakin’s whereabouts. _Bastard_. She hated how perceptive he could be sometimes.

“ _Master_ ,” breathing that word at him now was a damn gamble, but she was willing to take the risk. “Please?”

He let out a soft laugh and tugged gently at the roots of her hair, shaking his head. Iza wasn’t sure what that was supposed to signify; she hated that these stupid cuffs were blocking her senses so heavily. Was he telling her _no?_ Was he shaking his head at himself for being such a damn _sucker?_ _What did it mean?_

“I’ve told you so many times, darling,” he kissed her bottom lip and sighed. “You mustn’t call me that.”

“You like it,” cautiously, she lifted her hands to the front of his robes and played with the material of his tunic. “I know you do.”

“That may be,” he watched her curiously as if gauging what she might do. “But now is not the time for that.”

“You’re so damn irritating when you’re cryptic,”

“As you’ve told me before,” smiling, he brushed another kiss to the corner of her mouth and sighed deeply. “Darling, I’m at a loss. I fear I do not know what to do with you or Anakin.”

“You could start by telling me _what happened_ ,” pulling back to look at him, the brunette lifted her arms to show him the cuffs. “I can’t _think_ with these on, Obi-Wan. I cannot reach out to you, I cannot read you. I can’t…”

“I know, darling,” the fingers in her hair gave another soft tug. “I’ve worn them before. I know how you feel. But I cannot remove them.”

“I won’t hurt you,”

“I’m not afraid of that,” he nosed at her cheek as if to prove a point. “I’m simply uncertain of what might happen if I return your connection to the Force at this time.”

“You can’t keep me like this forever, Obi-Wan,” frowning, she dropped her gaze to the floor. “I’m scared. I feel like a prisoner and the only crime you claim I’ve committed is—”

“Darling please,” he lifted her chin with his free hand and locked their gazes. “This is a very serious matter. It is not my intention to frighten you or leave you feeling helpless, but you must understand that is also how _I_ feel. Do you know what could happen if the two of you… if I let…” he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his forehead to hers firmly. “My sweet, darling girl, I could lose **_both_** of you. Not just to the Dark Side—but to the mercy of the Order.”

“You would not let them have us, Obi-Wan,” her hands came up to cup his bearded face, lips pushing softly against his. “I know you. I know your heart. You would not—”

“I would not have a _choice_ , darling,” he whispered, swallowing thickly. “I hardly have much of one now. Keeping you isolated from one another—isolated from the Force—this is all I have.”

“For how long? _How long?_ ”

“I’m not sure,” _stars_ he looked so tired. Iza wondered how long she’d been in here and if he’d slept at all during that time. Not likely; Obi-Wan was a man who could run on fumes if need be, but it seemed as though those fumes were beginning to deplete as well. A soft smile crept onto his lips and one of his russet-colored brows lifted as he gazed back at her. “What is it, darling? What’s got you looking at me like that? You look so very sad, my dear.”

“You’re tired,” tilting her head she skimmed her fingers through the fine hairs of his beard, noting just how unkempt they looked. The longer she searched, the more things looked out of place. His robes were rumpled and there were soft circles beginning to form beneath his eyes. The corner of his bottom lip had a small nick in it and a bruise had bloomed out along his chin beneath it. His hair wasn’t falling right; it was limp and dull and swept back in a way that was so unbecoming of him. Even when he shifted into that _other side_ of himself, his hair always framed his face beautifully. Now it only served to show just how withered he truly was. And his eyes—his beautiful blue eyes—they lacked that gentle sparkle and warmth that filled her heart whenever she looked into them. Something was wrong; something was _missing_. Iza heard herself draw in a sharp breath and felt hot tears well in her eyes, jaw wobbling lightly as they fell. “What have we done to you, my love?”

“ _No_ ,” he shook his head and cupped her face in his hands, half crushing her lips beneath his in a frantic kiss. “No darling—not you. Not either of you.”

“Obi-Wan you can’t lie when the evidence is right there!” She wanted to push him off and found that she couldn’t. She just didn’t have the strength to. Her body was so tired from the fighting she couldn’t remember doing that it just wanted to lay down and sleep, possibly forever. If it would save the ones she held so dear in her heart, perhaps she should.

“This is not your doing, Iza,” he sighed hard against her mouth, stealing her breath on his next inhale. “Not yours. Not Anakin’s. I have been fighting this battle for _years_ , darling. You are not responsible—”

“You’re falling,” the realization hit her square in the chest and left her stunned. “Obi-Wan, you…”

“I’m in control,” his didn’t look as sure as he sounded. “I’ve always been in control.”

“You’re not afraid of what Anakin and I will do to each other,” leaning back a little, Iza felt her breathing pick up as the panic settled into her stomach and chilled her to her core. “You’re afraid of what you’ll do to _us_.”

“Iza,” he pressed his lips together tightly and stared her down. Something about his gaze unsettled her deeply, but she couldn’t put her finger on _why_. “I cannot lose the two of you.”

Iza couldn’t understand the feeling that ran through her in that moment, but the longer she stared into those sharp blue eyes of his, she thought she recognized it as the brush of his Force energy along their bond. Something bubbled deep in her belly, slowly crawling up into her chest and throat where it escaped from her mouth in a soft plea.

“Take us with you,” her hands dropped to clutch the front of his robes, pulling him in close until their noses touched. “Take us with you, Obi-Wan.”

His eyes widened in shock before fear crept into his features and he reeled back, a heavy breath gusting past his lips. It was almost as though he were disgusted by the mere idea. But he didn’t immediately protest, and that was _very_ telling. Instead, he stared down at her like he was trying to weigh the options—good and bad, best and worst case scenarios—and he shut his eyes tight against the sight of her, pushing his forehead into hers with such force that he nearly knocked her back against the cot.

“My girl,” he whispered, sounding conflicted. “I…”

“We can’t lose you either, Obi-Wan,” tugging on his robes, Iza breathed shakily and grit her teeth when his hands slid back into her hair and pulled it. “We can all go. We’ll be safe.”

“We will not,” he laughed, easing up his hold when he noted how tense she was becoming. “The Order will find us,”

“We will have five of the GAR’s finest men,” _that_ would be non-negotiable; she’d overthrow the entire idea if he rejected it. “ _Seven_ —if you think you can convince Cody and Rex.”

“Cody most certainly will not leave post,” blowing out a breath, Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. “Rex—perhaps. He’s quite loyal to Anakin, after all.”

“We could have _more_ ,” the Stars were her main five, but Iza knew there were more in her battalion who would follow whatever orders she gave. Loyal, trustworthy bastards that they were, they held her in such high respect for the way she cherished their lives on the battlefield that she had no doubt they’d defect for the right reason. She just needed to _give_ them the right reason. She would also take care not to _use_ them; they were _men_ , not droids. She would offer freedom over the entrapment the GAR provided. And she would only ask for their continued loyalty in return.

“Darling,” holding a finger up with a soft smile, Obi-Wan lightly tapped the end of her nose. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We must—”

“Anakin will follow,” Iza shrugged like she couldn’t understand why he was even questioning this. “I have no doubt in my mind, Obi-Wan.”

“We should give him the _choice_ , Iza,”

“Obi-Wan,” letting out a quiet sigh, the brunette once again settled her forehead to his, shutting her eyes and tangling her fingers in his robes. “You know what his choice will be. Neither of us will have to influence him.”

“I would still like to ask while we cannot make the choice for him.”

“You intend to cuff yourself?”

“I have not turned yet, my sweet,” smiling, Obi-Wan hummed softly and trailed a finger along her jaw. “ _You_ are teetering. I feel you fighting your war even while you cannot. Anakin is not quite so tempestuous.”

“But he’s conflicted?”

“ _Oh—_ ” the older Jedi laughed and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “My dear, I’m afraid our darling Anakin has _always_ been conflicted. I believe that your pain may have ignited something in him. The loss of the bond with your Master, perhaps the abandonment you felt—”

Iza pushed back from him and stared with wide eyes, startled. All at once, it was as though fragmented pieces of a lost memory had snapped into place and left her feeling oddly sick and weak. She recalled that sense of emptiness after pleading for Master Windu to reconsider severing their bond, how _cold_ she’d felt. She remembered losing her sight, feeling horribly lost, then a burning in her lungs and nothing more. If she’d said anything or done anything, those things were lost to the Force. But the feeling of having the roots of her bond with Master Windu torn free without warning or mercy— _that_ was a sensation she wouldn’t forget. Unlike the gentle _pinch_ sensation she got whenever she’d previously unlinked from Obi-Wan or Anakin, this felt like someone ripping into her with claws made of steel. Even now, she felt the hole where he was supposed to be; a void, empty and cold.

“Darling?” Obi-Wan sounded concerned as he tilted her chin up to get a good look at her. “Where have you gone?”

“I would like to speak with Catcher,” Iza didn’t want to discuss it. Her mind was made up. Whatever Anakin decided on would be _his_ choice; she’d made hers. “Please,”

“Would you like to tell me why?”

“Preparations,”

“ _Preparations_ , darling?”

“Someone has to make sure the men are ready to leave,” shrugging her shoulder, Iza’s lips twitched in a faint smile before she leaned up and stole a gentle kiss. “He will be the easy one. It’s the others who may require a little convincing.”

“Iza, this is not a game,” Obi-Wan held her jaw firmly between her fingers and gave her one of his stern looks. “This is a very serious decision we need to make. You are not planning simple war tactics or deciding where to go for supper. This… this is permanent, my love.”

“I know what it is, Obi-Wan. I was taught the same things as you. I _know_.” Iza sighed and ran her fingers down his chest, smoothing a few lines out of his robes. “We were taught to run from this, and look where it got us. _Look what it did to us_.”

“Iza, it was not the teachings of the Jedi—”

“It was the restrictions. Feelings of inadequacy. Feeling like we didn’t have a single soul to confide in within the walls of that damn Temple.” Iza laughed shortly and waved a hand. “Please stop me if I’m wrong, but the three of us would not behave the way we do outside of that place if we were not meant to, at the very least, _question_ why we feel these things, Obi-Wan.”

“Plenty of Jedi question them without turning to the Dark Side, Iza,”

“You’re afraid,” knitting her brows together as she studied him, the brunette felt her shoulders sag a little. “Why?”

“Darling,” Obi-Wan’s laugh was dry and the smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes. “You cannot treat this so lightly. The way you speak as if we’re just _deciding_ to move out of the Temple—it’s not that simple. We’ll be marked. We will become enemies of the Jedi.”

“The Jedi have their hands full, Obi-Wan,” giving him a pointed look, Iza rolled her eyes. “And there are _plenty_ of Dark Side users that go unnoticed by the Order. Once we fall, they _stop_ caring.”

“That’s not entirely true.”

“Only when they become a problem do we ever hear of it. I don’t know about _you_ , but I don’t intend to become a problem.”

“And where do you propose we go, darling?”

“Let me take care of that.” She had some ideas. They probably weren’t _great_ ideas, but it was better than starting from nothing. “Let me talk to Catcher and we can get something squared away. We… we can at least _start_ a plan.”

“And if Anakin refuses?”

“Then we’ll do whatever you think is necessary to stop what’s already in progress,” averting her gaze, Iza bit down on her tongue and hesitated. “If it means that I have to go—”

“It won’t come to that.” He held his hand up, looking as though he didn’t want to even entertain the idea of letting her _go_ anywhere. “I’m fairly certain I can help you contain yourself and… _fix_ this, if necessary. But we will let Anakin be the deciding vote.”

“Okay,” nodding, she couldn’t help the faint smile she gave when Obi-Wan pressed his lips to the side of her head. “Then perhaps you should go to him, love,”

“Now? Are you sure you don’t want to talk to Catcher first?”

“Obi-Wan,” giving him a look, the brunette reached to brush her knuckles beneath his chin. “I already know what Anakin’s answer will be, and I think _you_ do as well. I can speak with Catcher while you speak to Anakin. The Stars will be the hardest part, but it’s not impossible.”

“What will you do if they refuse?”

Iza shrugged, her smile going a bit sad.

“I suppose I’ll have to let them go, won’t I?” She pressed her lips together tightly, sighing. “I will not force their hands. They will be given the same choice you’re giving Anakin. There will not be _consequences_ , if that’s what you’re worried about. I would never do that to them. This is about liberation, not indentured servitude.”

“I know that, my dear,”

“It’s worth a shot, regardless,” Iza turned her hands up. “They’d be very useful to have around.”

“I’m not the one you need to convince, darling,” leaning in to plant a soft kiss to her lips, Obi-Wan smoothed the hair off of her face before pressing another to her forehead. “All right, my sweet. I will send Catcher in and go speak with Anakin.”

“Will you let me see him when we’re through?”

“I may be able to arrange that, yes.” He held his finger up. “But you may need to remain in the cuffs.”

“You just enjoy the idea of having me restrained, you filthy pervert.” Well, if she had to be stuck in the damn things, she may as well crack jokes. Unfortunately—or perhaps _fortunately?_ —for her, Obi-Wan’s lips spread in a wide smile before he pinched her chin and lifted her head, a soft _tut_ escaping him.

“Darling,” did he _have_ to purr at her like that? At a time like _this?_ “Do _not_ tempt me. I have the perfect pair of leather bindings that would look delightful on you. But, again— _now is not the time for that._ ”

“Pity, that.” Her smile was teasing. “I could use the distraction.”

“We all could, darling.” Snorting, he playfully squeezed her chin and dropped one last kiss to her forehead. “I will return with Anakin’s answer once I have it. _You_ better not try to pull a fast one and have that man remove those cuffs or let you out of this cell before then, understand?”

“ _Yes **sir**_ ,” That cat-like smile grew wider and she swore she saw a brief flicker of fire in his eyes. _Good_. It meant that he wasn’t entirely consumed by his worries over the situation. “ _Go_ ,”

With one final sigh, Obi-Wan gave a nod and turned to leave. When he was gone, Iza dropped back onto the cot and rubbed her hands over her face, letting out a heavy groan. This wasn’t going to be easy; Catcher would likely fight her. He would argue. The only thing that would keep the two of them from coming to blows would be the restraints on her wrist. It wasn’t a fair fight if she couldn’t use her hands, after all. But Iza knew there was going to be a lot of yelling and crying to come. She wasn’t sure if she was mentally prepared for this with all of the resurfaced feelings swirling inside of her. How could Master Windu do this to her? Had he not realized what would happen? Couldn’t he have been a little less _vicious_ about it? _Force_ , they’d been at each other’s sides for so long that she would’ve thought that he’d at least give her the benefit of a peaceful disconnection. She deserved that much.

“Little Bit?”

Sitting up when she heard Catcher’s voice, Iza stared at his curious expression for a minute before smiling and waving him further into the cell. He looked unsure, but stepped forward anyway, taking one of the hands that she offered and settling down in the spot beside her on the cot.

“Hi love,” the brunette leaned in and nudged her head into his, watching the way he eyed her. “We need to talk.”

“About what?” The light panic in his tone made her squeeze his fingers and bring them to her lips to kiss his gloved knuckles.

“Don’t look so worried, Catch,” well, he could be worried when she got to the point. “It isn’t what you think.”

“I don’t think you know what I’m thinking, sweetheart.”

“And what are you thinking?”

“You’re going to leave.” He took a deep breath and put on his _brave face_ ; the one he wore when they discussed things neither one of them wanted to talk about. “That bastard is sending you somewhere, isn’t he?”

“No love,” shaking her head, Iza hesitated a moment before shifting beside him to straddle his lap, arms going up and over his head to rest on his shoulders. “That’s not it at all.”

“Then… _what?_ ”

“ _We’re_ leaving,” sliding her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, she smiled and rested her forehead to his. “All of us. I’m taking you with me, Commander. You know the rules.”

“What do you mean _leaving_ , Little Bit?”

“You know what I mean, Catch.”

“Iza,” hazel-tinged brown eyes searched her face for a long time before Catcher leaned in further and exhaled harshly through his nose. He didn’t say anything at first, choosing to wrap his fingers in the ends of her hair and tug gently at it. And then he was closing his eyes and squeezing her closer to him, a low growl rumbling in his chest. “Is this truly what _you_ want, Little Bit? Is this _you_ , or is this _their_ influence?”

“It’s me, Catcher,” skimming her cheek against his with a smile, Iza shut her eyes. “You know good and well it’s me.”

“Am I going to lose you?”

“Catch,” leaning back to look at him, Iza brought her arms over his head again so she could tilt his chin up and lock their gazes. “You will not lose me just because I’ve fallen. You didn’t lose me before, did you? I was still _me._ ”

“You were violent, Little Bit.”

“I’m always violent.” She laughed and pursed her lips. “How many times have I told you I was not meant to be a Jedi? And how many times was it _you_ that told me that I was a beast?”

“Sweetheart, this isn’t quite what I meant by that,” giving her a pointed look, the Clone sighed. “What about the others? They’re worried, Iza. I’ve never seen Popper look so…”

“I want them to come with us,” Iza stroked her thumbs against his chin and almost scrunched her nose at the rough feel of stubble there. He usually kept himself pretty well groomed; just how long had he and Obi-Wan been dealing with the situation? Putting that thought into the back of her head, she continued, “I want… as many of our men who want liberation to come with us.”

“Liberation, sweetheart?” He couldn’t help laughing. “Is that what you’d call it?”

“You know as well as I do that the GAR treats you unfairly. You’re not _bodies_. You’re not _numbers_. I want to give as many of you as I can… a better chance.”

“You make a very tempting argument, Little Bit,” Catcher smiled gently at her, tutting softly as he thumbed the scar on her cheek. “But these men— _my brothers_ —they’re not bred to take offers like that. You know what we were made for.”

“But I also know there are some who _want_ the things I offer. I’ve heard enough barrack talk to know, Catch.”

“You will have a target painted on your back,” working his jaw, the Commander lowered his gaze. “The Republic will not take kindly to half a battalion of soldiers suddenly defecting.”

“They won’t know.”

“Excuse me?”

“What? Did you think I would be foolish enough to not think this through?” Giving him a look, Iza rolled her eyes dramatically and smirked. “Catcher, my love, my light—I’ve had this plan in my head for a long time.”

“And just what—” she couldn’t tell if the half smile on his face was impressed or horrified. “—is that plan, sweetheart?”

“The Republic doesn’t keep record of the men who fall on the battlefield.” One of Iza’s brows popped up lightly as she shrugged. “ _Numbers_ —remember? They certainly wouldn’t keep track of men who died in a starship accident.”

“ _Iza_ ,” his eyes went wide and again, she couldn’t tell whether he was impressed or horrified by her idea. “Little Bit, how long have you—”

“I’ve had plenty of time to think about this, Catcher. Every time we brought back a black bag, I thought about what I could do to save the rest of them. What sort of things I’d have to do to cover up a mass defect.”

“And where do you think you’re going to put them all?” His eyes had gone soft with adoration and Iza knew he’d jumped on board even if he wasn’t saying so. “You can’t just have a bunch of Clones running around freely. Someone will ask questions.”

“I have a contact.”

“ _A contact?_ ”

Looking away, Iza took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, hesitating before she set her eyes on him again.

“I need you to trust me. _Really_ trust me, Catcher.”

“Sweetheart,” he snorted. “You should’ve asked for my trust before you started spouting off about your little plan.”

“ _Catcher_ ,”

“You have it, Little Bit,” kissing the side of her head with a chuckle, Catcher grinned. “You have my trust. You know that.”

“Good. I need you to go upstairs into my bag and get the _blue_ comm disc.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“ _Blue_ …”

“The blue one.”

“Are you sure?”

“My love,” cupping his chin, Iza brought him in for a deep kiss, nuzzling her nose across his when she pulled back. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. We deserve a new start. You, me, _them_ —and as many of your brothers that want to come with us.”

Catcher chewed his tongue lightly before he nodded.

“Okay sweetheart. As long as you’re sure,”

“I _am_ ,” sliding off of his lap, she gave him a nudge. “Now _go_. I need to make the call before Obi-Wan gets back.”

~*~*~*~

“I know you’re awake,” Obi-Wan smirked faintly as he eyed Anakin from where he stood in the doorway to his cell. The younger man was stretched out along the length of his cot, eyes closed while he snored in a not-so convincing manner. A smile twitched at his lips, but he didn’t open his eyes.

“How did it go?”

“You were right,” coming further into the room Obi-Wan waved his hands and laughed. “She’s on board.”

Anakin finally sat up with a grunt, shaking the feeling back into his hands and wrinkling his nose when his shackles rattled. Giving Obi-Wan a pointed look as he brandished them at the older man, he raised an eyebrow.

“Does that mean you’ll remove these now?”

“Not quite.” Sitting beside him on the cot, Obi-Wan sighed quietly. “She has terms. She would also like to see you—which is why _those_ need to stay.”

“Ugh— _Obi-Wan_ ,”

“Listen, this was _your_ idea, Anakin,” he reminded him, shooting the other man a look. “This was your damn idea from the start.”

“Yes, but I didn’t think you’d keep me chained for so long.” Making a face, Anakin scooted to the edge of the cot and grumbled. “How did you bring it up?”

“She did it herself,” Obi-Wan’s brows knit together as a curious look crossed his features. “I daresay I must’ve let my mask slip a little. She knew.”

“ _She knew?_ ”

“Begged me to take the two of you with me,” looking over at his companion with a fond smile, he hummed. “If she only knew.”

“Do you know how hard it’s been to hide from her?”

“ _Anakin_ ,” Obi-Wan scoffed and shot him a pointed look, getting a scowl in return. “Do not give me that look. I told you not to continue soul bonding with her the way that you were. That she would figure things out if you were not careful.”

“You weren’t going to let us bond at all,” Anakin wrinkled his nose.

“I had my reasons, Anakin. I was not lying when I said you two were dangerous for one another.”

“You still haven’t explained what happened in the hangar,” reaching up to rub the spot on his forehead where a bruise had formed, the younger man frowned hard. “I don’t remember anything except being on the starship and hearing Ahsoka ask if I was all right. And then—it’s blank. Like I blacked out or something.”

“I’m not entirely sure myself, if I’m going to be honest.” Turning a hand up, Obi-Wan shrugged. “My only guess is that her pain triggered something within you, dear one. It certainly did not do you any favors.”

“You’re _sure_ Ahsoka is okay?”

“Love,” turning to the younger man, Obi-Wan set his hands over the top of his and smiled warmly. “She is a strong girl. You merely knocked her unconscious. I promise that I would not lie to you about her well-being.”

“She’s going to hate me.” Curling his fingers around Obi-Wan’s, Anakin sighed and shut his eyes. “I don’t want to tell her but—I can’t just _leave_ her, either.”

“You do not wish to bring her?”

“She’s too young, Master.” He really needed to shake that habit, didn’t he? “I want her to make the decision on her own, _not_ because she wants to follow me.”

“What will you do if she chooses to accompany us?”

“Continue training her the way that I have,” Anakin shrugged. “It is _her_ choice.”

“Are you sure you’ve chosen the Dark Side, my dear?” Obi-Wan’s smile was soft, teasing.

“Choosing the Dark Side does not mean losing all of my morals, Obi-Wan,” the younger man looked up, still frowning. “You should know that better than anyone.”

“I do,” lifting his hand, Obi-Wan lightly brushed his thumb against Anakin’s chin. “I allowed you to make your own decision— _warned_ you against following me. And yet…”

“I made the choice on my own. You know that.”

“Of course I do, Anakin. And we let Iza decide for herself, too.”

“I’ll do the same for Ahsoka. Snips deserves that much.”

“I know you,” Obi-Wan pursed his lips lightly. “You won’t stop looking after her even if she chooses to stay with the Order.”

“Of course not.” Anakin looked horrified at the thought. “Only a monster would abandon their Padawan completely.”

“Yes,” a faraway look bled into Obi-Wan’s eyes, like he was remembering something best left forgotten. Falling silent for a moment or two, he shook himself free from the stupor and forced himself to smile. “ _Well_ —would you like to hear our darling girl’s terms?”

“This ought to be good,” playfully rolling his eyes, Anakin sat back and quirked a brow. “What are they?”

“We will be bringing Catcher,”

“As expected,”

“And quite possibly—a portion of her battalion.”

Anakin stared at the older man for a long moment before snorting quietly and shaking his head.

“Why am I not surprised? _At all?_ ”

“She spoke of _liberating_ them from the GAR.” Obi-Wan made a face as he turned his hands up. “She was so passionate about it that I couldn’t say no.”

“You can’t say _no_ to her to begin with.” A wide grin spread across Anakin’s lips as he laughed. “You’re worse about her than you ever were with me.”

“She begs so _beautifully_ , it’s difficult not to give in at times.”

“Tell me about it,” blowing out a breath, the younger man shook his head at Obi-Wan. “Exactly where the hell are we supposed to go with all of those men? And how are we supposed to get them out of here? They won’t all fit on a gunship.”

“She said she would take care of it.” Obi-Wan shrugged. “She said that if _you_ chose to fall with us, then she would make the preparations. I admit, I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I have a very strong feeling our girl has been planning something like this for a long time.”

“Would it surprise you?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“General Kenobi?” Both men nearly fell from the cot when Obi-Wan’s comm link went off, and the older man cussed quietly before reaching to grab it from his belt.

“Yes, Commander?”

“Uh—Iza would like to speak with you.”

“Tell her I’ll be down there in a moment to retrieve her.” Looking to Anakin, he paused. “Catcher, remove her cuffs.”

“Sir?”

“It’s all right, Commander. It’s safe.”

“Yes sir.”

The line went quiet and Obi-Wan sighed heavily before running his fingers through his hair and getting to his feet. Eyeballing Anakin, he waved him out of his seat, producing a key from one of the pouches at his belt.

“No reaching for one another. No—”

“ _I know_.” Anakin leaned down and brushed his lips over Obi-Wan’s cheek, smiling faintly. “I remember how this works. Just make sure you tell _her_ how it works.”

“Oh— _I will_.” Snorting, the older man tucked the key and cuffs away before heading for the door. “Anakin,”

“Yes?”

“Whatever this plan of hers is, it does not override _our_ plans. Understood?”

“Understood.”

“Good.” Casting a quick smile over his shoulder, Obi-Wan left the cell, locking it behind him.


	24. It All Comes Back Threefold

“ _Cyar’ika!_ ” Perhaps throwing herself at Anakin wasn’t the greatest idea, but Iza had felt such a shock run through her when she stepped through the doorway of his cell that she’d been unable to help herself. Luckily enough for her, he was used to the careless way she liked to fling herself into his arms and had been _mostly_ prepared for it.

“ _Sweetness_ ,” he’d lifted her straight off her toes, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he hugged her to him like they hadn’t seen each other in years. Funny how two weeks and a few hours without a bond between them could make it feel that way. He laughed shortly when her legs went around him, dropping an arm beneath her backside to support her as the fingers of his other hand slipped around the back of her neck. It was nice to feel her warmth and softness against him again; nice to feel her energy twisting around his along their bond once more. He hoped she’d been warned about reaching. He didn’t want to have to be the asshole that had to tell her to back off. Of all the times he wished he could just plop them down on the floor and reach into her soul— _now_ was going to be one of the most challenging to ignore.

Her lips were so damn soft when they met his, even with the amount of pressure she put behind her kiss. He kissed her almost frantically in return as though that might somehow make up for being unable to reach along their bond to her. Iza seemed happy enough to take it. He could feel her smiling against his mouth, felt the light tug she gave to his hair, and heard the soft growl that rumbled low in her chest when he squeezed her tight. He moved automatically back toward the cot, grunting when he sat down hard on the unforgiving surface and laughing quietly at the rushed way Iza started working her fingers under the layers of his robes. Blindly seeking her hands out, he laced his fingers in between hers and pressed quick kisses all over her face when she whined at him.

“You’re ridiculous,” he whispered, growling when she caught his bottom lip between her teeth. “You know he’d throw a fit.”

“I know,” she breathed back, leaning into his chest with another quiet whine. “But I can’t help it. I feel so strange. I don’t know if it’s… I don’t know _what_ it is, Anakin. I just know I need you.”

“I’m here, sweetness,” smiling as he shook his hands free and cupped her head, Anakin gingerly pressed his forehead to hers. “I know what you’re feeling. And I wish I could give it to you but—you heard him. No reaching.”

“What’s he afraid of?” Her fingers danced along the insides of his wrists before she tugged the sleeves of his robes. “We know how to be careful.”

“No we don’t.” Anakin laughed and gave her a look. “Sweetness, don’t tell lies like that.”

“You’ve made your decision, haven’t you?”

“I have.”

“And?”

“I’m coming with you, of course.” Tilting his head to fit his lips to hers, Anakin couldn’t stop the growl he gave when Iza pulled him into her by the front of his robes. Exhaling harshly through his nose, he leaned back and tapped the end of her nose with a finger. “ _Stop that_.”

“What’s the problem, _cyar’ika?_ ” Iza really tried not to look huffy as she sat back and stared at him. “If we’re all going to do this, why can’t we reach?”

“Iza,” brushing his thumb against the scar on her cheek, Anakin sighed and leaned in to kiss her forehead. “He has said it many times. We’re dangerous for each other. Obi-Wan wouldn’t say such things or give warnings like this if he wasn’t trying to keep something terrible from happening. Why do you think he made us wait until he could guide us into the bond?”

“Why do you know so much?” Pouting was inevitable. Now that she’d been released from those horrible cuffs, Iza had been made painfully aware of just how hollow she felt where her Master’s bond once was. The idea that she couldn’t reach out and fill that space with Anakin or Catcher or Obi-Wan was _killing_ her. “Why do you know all of these things and I don’t?”

“You learn things when you’re the apprentice of Obi-Wan Kenobi.” He hoped his smile wasn’t too telling. Obi-Wan would skin him alive if he gave everything away before the time was right. “He talks a lot.”

“You’re just as irritatingly cryptic as he is, you know. You two were made for one another.”

“Sweetness,” brushing his lips against her temple, Anakin tightened his arms around her and let out a sigh. “If it helps, I’m just as annoyed that we have to wait as you are. I missed you. _A lot_.”

“It’s not just _annoyance_ , Ani. I feel…”

“I know,” resting his chin atop her head, the younger man tried not to sigh again. “I feel it too, sweetness.”

“He just…” was it even wise to talk about it? Obi-Wan hadn’t told her she couldn’t. “He let go of me and I just…”

“Iza,”

“Anakin, there’s _nothing_ there,” pulling back to look at him, she lightly thumped a closed fist against her chest and frowned hard. “It’s just _space_. It’s so cold and empty and I don’t know… I don’t know what to do.”

“Hey,” palming her cheek again, he shook his head and put a finger to her lips. “Don’t do that. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“I’m already _hurt_ , Anakin!” Pushing his hands away, the brunette frowned harder and clenched her teeth in an attempt to stave off the tears. “I’m _hurt!_ I can’t get _warm_ and I can’t _breathe_ and I feel…” she lowered her gaze and knit her brows like she was trying to think of a way to describe the sensation. Bringing her hands up, her fingers curled lightly against her palms and she shook her head. “It tastes like someone put their damn lightsaber in my mouth and turned it on.”

“Iza,” now he looked concerned. “Did you tell any of this to Obi-Wan?”

“I didn’t notice it until after the cuffs were off.” Pressing her lips together tightly, Iza kept her eyes lowered until he pinched her chin and forced her to tilt her head up. Neither of them said anything for a few moments until Anakin clicked his tongue and swore softly under his breath.

“Why don’t you tell me about your plans for stealing your battalion, sweetness?” Offering a soft smile, he lightly rubbed his finger beneath her chin and leaned in to kiss her. “We need to distract you until Obi-Wan comes back.”

“What do you mean, _distract?_ ”

“I’m really…” he gave a short laugh. “I’m not equipped to handle what’s happening to you, Iza. I can’t help you like he can.”

“Anakin, if you’re trying to comfort me, it isn’t working.”

“Just talk, sweetness,” he kissed her again, deeper this time. If he could keep her mind off of the things she was feeling, maybe he could keep anything dire from happening before his partner returned. Maker help him if she fell while in his presence; Obi-Wan would likely try to find a way to blame it on him.

“I…” she needed a minute to gather her thoughts. What had he wanted to know? _Right_ —how they were going to liberate some of her men when they left this ship. “There’s only about twenty or thirty who will even want to go. I know who Catcher will ask and I’m sure… I’m _sure_ they’ll be on board.”

“He’s not asking them directly, is he?” Maybe if he kept her talking while he continued kissing her, it would help. There was also the _other_ strategy of giving her what she’d initially wanted, but he wasn’t in the mood to listen to Obi-Wan complain about the way they tended to behave around one another. He would swear the man was envious if Iza wasn’t just as terrible around _him_ , too.

“No. He’s not stupid, Anakin.”

“I wasn’t suggesting that, sweetness,” _Yep_ , he was going to find that little spot on her neck that drove her crazy and he was going to mark it up. Her growing agitation would only leak down the bond and into him and then they’d be in real trouble. Brushing her hair away from her shoulder, he pulled her in closer and gently nipped at the delicate skin of her neck, trying not to grin at the sound she made. “Keep talking.”

“We’re… we’re gonna have to blow up… _Maker_ , that’s distracting,” hooking her fingers in the front of his robes, Iza tugged at them lightly and tilted her head to give him better access, shutting her eyes with a low whine. “We’ll need to blow up some gunships.”

“Mhm,” smiling against the spot he was marking up, Anakin kissed his way up to her ear and grazed his teeth against the soft patch of skin behind it, growling at the way she yanked at him. “ _Easy_ , sweetness. Where do you intend to put all of these men?”

“Odran’oel,” skimming her fingers up into his hair, Iza shifted closer and didn’t even bother trying to control her breathing. “I’ve been scouting a place there for a while. It’s off the Republic’s radar for now— _Force, Anakin_ —and I have a contact that can get us there safely.”

“Contact?”

“Uh-huh,” she couldn’t help tugging at his hair, or the way she rocked her hips forward when he went back to the patch of skin on her neck he was marking up. She supposed she ought to tell him who her contact was and all that, but she was suddenly having a very difficult time thinking at all. “ _Anakin_ ,”

“Talk to me, sweetness,” reaching up to gently turn her head the other way to get at the other side of her neck, Anakin swallowed a groan as she rocked into him again. “And _stop that_ ,”

“ _Stop that_ ,” she mocked, huffing out a frustrated breath. “Anakin you’re making it _very_ hard for me to think about anything else.”

“I’ll stop, then.”

“No, don’t,” she could try harder. She could concentrate. _Maybe_. “I… I’m gonna need you to disable the trackers in a few of those gunships. Mine included.”

“I can do that,” taking her earlobe between his teeth was a gamble and a half, but it earned him a nice little moan that sent a sweet shiver down his spine to a place he probably _shouldn’t_ be stirring right now. “You said we’d need to blow some gunships up. What for?”

She needed a minute. He was really pushing buttons now and Iza doubted she’d be able to continue the conversation normally if he didn’t quit. It was bad enough that she could feel him starting to get hard against her inner thigh. All it would take was a simple shift to the left and maybe just the right amount of applied weight and she’d be able to hook him. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to deal with Obi-Wan’s complaining any more than Anakin did.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Anakin snickered against her skin, shaking his head. “Don’t do it, sweetness.”

“This is _your_ fault, Anakin!” Iza really tried not to squirm in his lap. “I can’t think of anything else.”

“Just tell me what we need to blow the gunships up for.”

“The GAR doesn’t keep track of the troopers who die. It’s common knowledge. They’re numbers. They’re replaceable. You tell them that a bunch of them died and they don’t require proof.” If she kept talking, she wouldn’t have to think about the way he’d moved his hands up from her waist and seemed to be struggling not to put them beneath her tunic. “I just need one or two gunships—empty gunships—to blow up and we can— _Anakin!_ ”

He hadn’t been able to help himself. It’d been so long since he’d last had her and he really wasn’t content to just kiss on her while she discussed _liberation plans_. He could claim his hands had slipped, that he hadn’t _meant_ to give her tits such a firm squeeze, but he’d never be able to play off the fact that he’d purposely sought her nipples out beneath the material of her tunic. Again—he _really_ couldn’t help himself. He’d felt them harden when he _not so discreetly_ skimmed his palms up to her chest and thought that _maybe_ he might get away with a simple quick pinch. No such luck.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, trying to stifle a snicker. “Go on. We can do _what_ , sweetness?”

“I don’t remember,” shaking her head, Iza leaned back from him to try and get him to look at her. “ _Cyar’ika_ ,”

“I know, _I know_ ,” he swallowed hard against the urge to refuse her. Obi-Wan was going to be _displeased_. But as Anakin wormed his fingers beneath the hem of her tunic to cup and mold her breasts, he found himself wondering if the older man might give him a break for managing to distract her from the fact that she was mid-fall. The longer he could keep her out of that headspace, the better—right? “Just remember— _no reaching_.”

Could she remember how to do that? Hell, she even reached with Catcher now. It was like second nature to make sure they were good and connected before they started getting too heavy; how was she supposed to—

“Just _what_ do the two of you think you’re doing?”

Anakin wished he didn’t feel as relieved as he did to hear Obi-Wan’s unamused tone. But there were some things that were more important than getting off, and _one_ of those things was making sure Iza got through her Fall in one piece. Unable to pull his hands from her shirt fast enough, he looked up at his partner as he came further into the cell and smiled weakly.

“I was wondering when you’d come back,” Anakin jerked his head at Iza, who looked more than just a little disgruntled. “She needs you.”

“It looks like she’s busy with _you_.”

“No— _she **needs** you_, Obi-Wan.”

Realization melted into Obi-Wan’s features and he suddenly looked concerned. Iza only looked between them in confusion, opening her mouth to say something only to shout when Anakin’s hands finally fell away and she was swept up from his lap. Made to stand in front of Obi-Wan, she stared at him—more confused than ever—and whined when the older man took hold of her jaw to lift her chin and steady her gaze with his.

“How long, Anakin?” He asked, frowning.

“I’m not sure. She said when the cuffs came off.”

“Darling,” Obi-Wan’s blue eyes were so damn _serious_. “Tell me how you’re feeling. How you’re _truly_ feeling.”

“I…” well, clearly he didn’t want to know she was horny and irritated. He likely already knew that anyway. It took a minute for her to realize that underneath the frustration, the sensation of pain and cold and hollowness was still there. That horrible _taste_ was still in her mouth now that the flavor of Anakin’s kiss had gone away. Suddenly, she was scared. “Cold. I’m cold.”

“ _Shit_.” Well clearly that was a _bad_ answer if it was making Obi-Wan swear. “I thought we had more time than this.”

“More time?” Iza reached to grab his sleeves and pulled at him. “More time for _what?_ Obi-Wan, what’s going on?”

“My darling,” he almost seemed sad, “I fear I may have to put those cuffs—”

“ _No_ ,” releasing him, she backed up a few steps and held her finger up. “I will _not_ … you can’t cut me off again like that! I will _not_ be made to feel helpless like that again!”

“Obi-Wan, can’t we just…” Anakin waved a hand and blew out a breath. “It’s going to happen anyway.”

“This is _not_ a safe place for it to happen, Anakin.” Obi-Wan gave the other man a pointed look. “I told you—I don’t want her around _you_ when it happens.”

“What the _hell_ are you two talking about?!” Looking between them again, Iza felt sick. “What is going on?”

“Iza, my dear,” Obi-Wan took on that soft tone he used when he was talking to the younglings and Iza didn’t appreciate it at all. “Have you ever felt like this before?”

The question confused her. What did that have to do with _anything?_ Sure—there’d been a time when she could recall feeling something similar. Perhaps without the hollowness, but she knew the strange taste in her mouth and the chilling sensation in her blood. They were just by-products of shock. They’d lingered for weeks after she’d been assaulted. She’d felt them again recently after the incident with Ventress, just not as severely. But what did that— _oh_.

“Catcher,” turning as though she had every intention of leaving the cell, Iza started to head for the door when Obi-Wan snatched her by the arm. “ _No_ —I need—”

“Darling, he cannot pull you back,” she wasn’t sure if he was sorry as he said it or not. “If we’re going to go through with this, you must let it happen.”

“You just said—”

“I will take you off the ship.”

“I can’t _go!_ ” Staring up at him like he was crazy, Iza shook her head and waved her free arm. “I have things to do! Plans to finish! You can’t just whisk me off _now!_ ”

“Iza,” pulling her in closer, Obi-Wan shot her another one of those _very_ serious looks of his and took a deep breath. “I don’t know what will happen if I let you fall here. The influence you and Anakin have on one another is far too strong and I don’t have the proper accommodations to house you while you both turn. _Especially_ not if you behave as violently as you did before.”

“Master,” Anakin let out a heavy breath and watched the way Obi-Wan’s features shifted into a warning glare. “Just… _tell her._ ”

“ _Anakin_ ,”

“Tell me what?” Green eyes flicked between the two men, settling on the elder of the pair. “ _Tell me **what** , Obi-Wan?_”

“ _You_ tell her, Anakin,” releasing Iza’s arm, Obi-Wan straightened and scowled at his partner. “Since you’re the one who feels as though it’s in her best interest to know— _you tell her_.”

“ ** _TELL ME WHAT_** _!?_ ”

“We’ve already gone over, sweetness,” Anakin’s eyes never left Obi-Wan as he spoke, a shoulder coming up in a careless shrug. “I’m sure you already knew that about _him_.”

Iza stared for a long time before she let out a laugh, covering her mouth with both hands like that might do something to muffle the echo of the noise. And then she stared some more, going over things in her head a million times. How could she have missed this? With as much time as she spent with them—as much time as she’d spent soaking in the bonds she had with each one of them— _how_ had she missed it? She could _kind of_ understand how she might’ve missed it with Obi-Wan. The man was older and had more time to practice keeping people out of the darker side of his mind, but Anakin? Anakin was like a decoded datapad; easy to crack and access without much effort at all.

The longer she thought about it, the more it began to make sense. The way they behaved outside of the Temple, Obi-Wan’s inexplicable ability to shift personalities like one might flip a card, that _strange_ thing that had happened the first time she’d bonded with Anakin without their lover’s assistance; yeah—it was all right there in black and white. They’d been this way for a long time. Long enough to know how to hide it quite skillfully from others.

“Iza?”

She held a hand up when Anakin spoke, shutting her eyes against the wave of nausea that hit her. She was having a difficult time processing this. They’d tried so hard to keep her from crumbling all this time and yet— _and yet_. Iza felt a cautious sort of warmth creeping in along one of her bonds and pushed back against it, growling low as she took a few blind steps back until her shoulders hit the wall of the cell. That cold sensation was worse now, deepening the hollow void in her gut to make it spread further throughout her form. She breathed in soft, shallow pants that didn’t give her enough air and left her so lightheaded that she worried she might faint. And that taste—that metallic, static-like taste—filled her mouth and made her want to gag.

Hot hands cupped the sides of her face, startling her into opening her eyes. The lights above were so _damn_ bright, but she could see the faint outline of Obi-Wan’s face hovering in front of hers. Iza tried to shake him off but she wasn’t sure she moved at all. He was saying something that she couldn’t hear. It sounded like someone was holding a charging stun-blaster next to her head. There was only a muffled buzzing and a light ringing to be heard. Something inside of her blinked out like a dying star; a bond, she realized. If she focused hard enough, she could see Anakin’s tall form walking out of the room. Her throat rumbled as she made some sort of noise, but she wasn’t sure if she said anything decipherable.

“ _Darling_ ,” Obi-Wan pressed his forehead to hers and brought her full attention back to him. “Reach for me,”

“Fuck you,” she breathed back, trying to turn her head away.

“My love,” his thumbs brushed across her cheeks, smearing cold tears across her skin. “You must let me help.”

“I don’t want your fucking help.”

“I understand you feel misled, darling,” he kept inching closer until she felt flattened against the wall, but Iza couldn’t do anything but stand there. “It was not our intention. We were always going to tell you.”

“I told you not to lie,” her numb fingers had found the worn leather of his belt and she clung onto it like it might be the only thing keeping her from completely slipping away. “How could you?”

“We didn’t want it to be like this, darling,” his lips were so _fucking_ soft and she hated it. “We wanted you to make the decision on your own.”

“I _had_ made the decision! I made it so many times and you _fought me!_ ” Thumping her hands against his chest did no good. Obi-Wan wasn’t budging. It was so strange how his presence felt so non-threatening even though he seemed to be keeping her from moving away from the wall. “You _took it_ from me, Obi-Wan! You took—”

“I _buried_ it, my sweet girl,” he dragged his hands back into her hair and pulled almost gently, pressing the center of his forehead more firmly against hers. “I’ve taken _nothing_ from you, **I promise**.”

“I _felt_ it go through you.” Opening her eyes to finally look at him, Iza squinted against the glare of the light and tried to focus on the blue of his eyes. “It was the same as—”

“Mind tricks, darling,” he gave a weak half-smile; soft, sad, and pained. “I only put your darkness somewhere _you_ couldn’t see or feel it.”

“You’ve _lied_ to me!”

“I did _not_ , Iza,”

“ _Thrown out into the Force where it belongs_.” She mocked, flinching back when she felt him trying to bond through the spot where their foreheads touched. “You cannot have me, Obi-Wan. I say _no_.”

He seemed to pause then as though mulling something over and Iza half expected him to continue on as though she never spoke a single word. Instead, he lifted his forehead off of hers and simply hovered there with that sad look in his eyes.

“You needed a way to control yourself, my sweet girl,” he continued running his fingers into her hair, occasionally pausing when they’d get caught in small knots caused by her earlier fussing. “Nothing I did was to harm you.”

“You said our space was built on trust, not secrets.”

“And it _is_ , darling. _It is_.”

“ ** _WHERE_** _?!_ ” Iza really didn’t mean to shout in his face like that but he was standing so damn close it couldn’t be helped. “ _Where_ is the trust, Obi-Wan? You couldn’t trust me to make my own choices, to feel my own _feelings_. You made decisions _for_ me! You **lied** to me! What else have you done? _What else?_ ”

“Your anger is misplaced, my love,” he’d started running his thumbs along the underside of her jaw, doing his best to soothe her. He wished she’d give him permission for the soul bond; it’d be so much easier to guide her through this if he could just reach further along their bond than this. “All I’ve ever done for you was meant to _help_. I’ve never taken from you, never told you not to _feel_. I’ve only encouraged it, darling. Do not mistake me with your Master, Iza. I am _not_ the one you should be angry with.”

“That’s too bad, isn’t it, darling?” Iza hated so much that his touch was melting her. Damn him for having such a strong effect on her like this. “Because you’ve _really_ pissed me off.”

“You hold no blame against Anakin,” he tilted his head and palmed her cheek, raising an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Is that what you think? You think because I haven’t put you on the floor to go after him that I’m not furious with him too?”

This made him smile, immediately pressing his lips together to try and stop it from becoming a grin.

“You believe yourself strong enough to take me, darling?”

“I know my own strength better than you.” Pulling herself up onto her toes, Iza pushed her chest into his and scowled. “You don’t know anything about what I’m capable of.”

“Of course I do,” he looked at her with such fondness that it confused her. This wasn’t the look he ought to be giving her when she was making attempts to threaten him. “Darling, I’ve been so _very_ deep inside of you— _I know everything_.”

“ _Filth._ ” She wished she wasn’t breathing so damn hard but the iciness coursing through her veins was making it difficult not to. His comment hadn’t helped much, either. “I could kill you.”

“You could, darling,” he nodded, smile widening. “But you won’t.”

“So sure of that?”

One of his hands dropped from her face to unhook the lightsaber at his belt and he continued to smile as he held it out to her. Confused, Iza wasn’t sure if she ought to take it or not until he nudged her fingers with the hilt.

“Go on, my dear,” he inclined his head towards the weapon. “Take it,”

Slipping her fingers around the cool metal column, Iza kept her eyes level with Obi-Wan’s and flinched when he took a few steps back from her. Tucking his hands at the base of his spine, the older man simply smiled patiently and watched her. The brunette didn’t know what to do. The anger and the freezing sensation were colliding into one inside of her, filling that hollow space her Master had left behind. But even as she clutched the hilt of Obi-Wan’s lightsaber in her hand, she wasn’t sure if she could ignite it. Her thumb rested against the button tentatively, and she chewed at her tongue as she stared him down. It felt _wrong_ —somehow—to want to hurt him. She was beyond furious with him and felt she had every right to be.

But _did_ she?

Perhaps he was right in saying her anger was misplaced. Master Windu was the one who should be on the receiving end of the saber blade, not Obi-Wan. If there was anyone in the galaxy who’d lied more times than she could count, who’d done _nothing_ to protect her and _everything_ to suppress her true nature and potential—it was him. Obi-Wan had simply stored it all away for her by shifting it around inside of her. He’d restored _balance_ within her and made it easier to continue a sense of normalcy, even if it only lasted for a short while. Master Windu uprooted things, tore them out at the source and threw her into such uncontrollable chaos only to turn around and tell her she needed to fix the problem on her own. Iza knew there were things that she couldn’t blame him for, but this? Falling to the side he’d taught her always to run from? He may as well have pushed her. At least she’d be in good company with Obi-Wan and Anakin here. There was _that_ small comfort.

“Darling, I’m waiting.” Obi-Wan gave that damn vicious smile of his—the one he liked to use when they played their sinful games.

“You’re a bastard,” taking a deep breath, Iza tossed the hilt back to him and sank back against the wall, dragging shaky fingers through her hair. Did she think she could kill him? _Sure_. But she didn’t _want_ to. Even with the rage pulsing through her, she just _didn’t_ want to.

“I know,” stepping closer once more, Obi-Wan slid his fingers beneath her jaw and bowed to kiss her forehead. “Please let me help you. I can feel you struggling, darling.”

“It hurts,” she couldn’t remember how it’d felt the first time. Iza had long since convinced herself that the feelings she’d dealt with back then had just been part of the shock from the assault. She’d shared a majority of it with Catcher as well and she supposed it’d dampened the pain just a little bit. “I can’t…”

Gathering her against his chest, Obi-Wan moved to sit down on the edge of the cot with her on his lap. Positioning her the way he typically did whenever they bonded this way, he kept his forehead hovering over hers, waiting.

“Darling,” he wouldn’t kiss her or nudge her in order to coax her permission from her. It had to be genuine or else the bond just wouldn’t work. Iza needed to be open to him completely. “I know you’re upset, but _please_ trust me,”

“Who do you serve, Obi-Wan?”

“Serve?” He was genuinely thrown by the question.

“You must serve _someone_ ,”

“Darling—I am not _Sith_.” Laughing a little, he couldn’t keep from giving her a soft kiss. “Anakin and I serve no one but ourselves.”

“Promise?”

“Is that what’s troubling you, my sweet?” His knuckles were gentle as they swept across her cheek. “Are you worried that we’re pulling you into some devious Sith-based _cult?_ ”

“I don’t know how this works,” shrugging lightly, Iza nestled closer to him, if only for the warmth that radiated off of him. “Just what I was taught.”

“We are not Sith, darling. We serve no one. _You_ will not be made to serve anyone.”

“Okay,” lifting her head, the brunette gingerly rested it against his and shut her eyes. “I trust you, Obi-Wan.”

~*~*~*~

“How can you work with those on?” Catcher asked as he watched Anakin fiddle with wires inside of one of the gunship control panels. “Why don’t you just tell me what to do and I’ll—”

“Listen,” sitting up to change tools, Anakin shot the other man a look and snorted. “I appreciate the offer and the concern, but this isn’t as difficult as it looks. I’m just removing tracker chips. The cuffs are annoying but I’ve worked under worse conditions.”

Catcher sighed and nodded, giving a pat to the arm of the chair he sat in. Looking around the gunship for a moment, he really tried not to fidget with his fingers and ended up bouncing his leg without realizing it.

“She’s fine,” Anakin said suddenly, startling the Clone. “Obi-Wan is guiding her through it.”

“I can feel her anxiety. It’s driving me nuts.”

“Me too, buddy,” laughing quietly, Anakin bit down on his tongue and grunted as he pried the tracking chip out of its place. “I can’t feel it as much as you can, but _boy_ —these cuffs aren’t dampening as much as they should be.”

“You want a second set?”

“ _Hah hah_.”

Watching as Anakin crushed the chip in his palm before tossing it aside, Catcher tried not to focus on the upset feeling in his stomach and cleared his throat.

“She’s not going to change, is she?” Well, it couldn’t hurt to ask. He’d only noticed small differences in her demeanor before, but she hadn’t been aware of her change back then. What would she be like when she was fully in control of all that anger?

“What do you mean?”

“ _You know what I mean_.”

“Iza will be the way Iza has always been,” shrugging, Anakin looked up from where he sat and frowned. “If you’re expecting her to suddenly start killing people at the drop of a hat, then you know something about her that we don’t. Obi-Wan and I are completely capable of maintaining our personalities as they were before our Falls. It takes practice—but she’ll be fine.”

“I just…” Catcher hesitated, rubbing at his chin. “I don’t want her to lose herself.”

“Catcher,” turning, Anakin rested his bound arms against his knees and shot the other man a look. “The woman you know is the same woman who will come walking out of the cell. She’ll still be the same irritating, bossy, stubborn, _spoiled_ little girl she’s always been. The Dark Side isn’t going to change that. It just gives her access to power she didn’t have as a Jedi.”

“And the violent side of her?”

“My friend, that side has been with her since birth. I believe that’s why Master Windu chose her as his Padawan. His lightsaber techniques don’t necessarily _encourage_ violence, but it gives it somewhere to go.”

“You’re sure it won’t get worse?”

Anakin paused and pursed his lips in thought, humming quietly. After a few moments, he slowly shook his head.

“I don’t think it will, no. Again—unless _you_ know something that we don’t, I don’t think we’ll see _that_ much of a change in her, Catcher. She’s not quick to temper, she really only gets out of hand when she’s out on the battlefield and I’ve honestly never felt _threatened_ by her. She’s a bit dramatic at times but… aren’t _most_ women?”

“You know she’d probably smack you if she heard you say that.”

“Good thing she’s not, huh?” Grinning, Anakin moved to fit the panel he’d removed back into place. “Can I ask you something?”

“You’re going to anyway,” Catcher waved his hand and nudged a tool closer when he noticed the other man reaching for it like he expected it to just fly into his hand. “Next to your elbow.”

“Thanks,” he couldn’t wait until these stupid cuffs could come off for good; Anakin hated feeling cut off from the Force like this, even when it was for his own good. “Anyway—if you’re so worried about what she’ll be like after all of this, why’d you agree to stick around?”

“You’re joking, right?” Raising a brow, Catcher let out a laugh. “This is a serious question you’re asking me?”

“Of course,”

“You’ll have to forgive me for saying so—but she’s _mine_.” Catcher turned his hands up and watched the way Anakin paused in his work. The other man’s blue eyes peered out from beneath the control panel he was working on and stared at him hard for a long moment before he appeared to huff out a breath and go back to what he was doing. “You can get as pissed off as you like, Skywalker. You know it’s the truth. Iza and I share something very different than what the two of you share with her.”

“You’re not Force sensitive,” Anakin grumbled, tightening screws that didn’t need it just to give himself something to do. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m… what did she call it? _Force Attuned_.”

“Big difference between us and you, buddy,” waving the tool between himself and the Clone, Anakin snorted and shook his head. “ _Huge_ difference.”

“Why, because I can’t do magic tricks?” Narrowing his eyes, Catcher frowned. “I’m not interested in any of that.”

“You ever stop to think you’re the thing that drives her to behave the way she does?” Sitting up, Anakin raised an eyebrow at the other man. “Maybe… _you’re_ the thing that made her what she is? Jedi aren’t allowed attachments, after all. And Catcher— _buddy_ —she stuck to you like a fucking magnet to a droid.”

“I know I’m the problem.” The Commander let out a short laugh and ran his fingers through his hair, giving Anakin an incredulous sort of look. “At least _part_ of it, anyway. But I know damn well I helped fuel the fire inside of that girl. I encouraged her to channel her emotions into what we did on the battlefield. I encouraged her to take her sexual fears and frustrations out on _me_. I thought I was _helping_ her, Anakin. _I didn’t fucking **know**._”

“You knew enough to know when she crossed the first time.”

“She ripped a fucking commando droid apart with her _bare hands_ , Anakin,” holding his hands up in front of him, Catcher shook them a little. “I’ve seen you bastards pop and crush droids with that weird _flick_ thing you do with your fingers, but she tore the bolts clean out of this thing like it was made of sticks and paper. The only reason I knew something was _very_ wrong with her then was because her eyes changed color. Popper said his old General had turned to the Dark Side and his eyes were this… yellow color. But the guy wasn’t human, you know? So most people didn’t question it until the truth came to light.”

“The color change is different for everyone,” Anakin mumbled, not looking at the other man. “Some people can maintain enough sense within themselves not to let the darkness take complete hold of them like that. Others are… fueled by it. If Popper’s General was walking around with yellow eyes, he must’ve fallen _hard_.”

“Hers have always gone back and forth, but I swear they’ve gotten lighter since we first met.” Sitting back in his seat with a soft sigh, the Clone shrugged slowly. “You’ve known her longer than I have. You likely know good and well what I mean. She’s always had lovely eyes, but that green just keeps getting _brighter_.”

“Contrary to what you may think,” the taller man couldn’t stop the smirk that curled the corner of his lips. “Iza and I haven’t always been very _buddy buddy_. I’m actually quite positive that she hated me for a spell. I _think_ she was holding out hope that she might have been chosen by Obi-Wan to be his first Padawan.”

“They’re not terribly far apart in age, are they?” Catcher knit his brows together in thought as if trying to do the math.

“Twelve years, I believe.” Anakin grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Close enough for it to cause problems when she became of the right age.”

“Is that why he chose you?”

“ _No_. Force, no.” Shaking his head, Anakin’s grin dimmed considerably. “I was… _passed along_ to him, actually. The circumstances are a bit grim, but it was not Obi-Wan’s choice to take me on as his apprentice. I feel that may have been part of the cause of the shift within him, honestly. You would never know it now, but I do believe my Master resented me for a very long spell of time.”

“You Jedi are a complicated fucking bunch, you know that?” Catcher made a face as he looked the other man over. “Can I even still _call_ you a Jedi?”

“Well we’re not _Sith_ , so I’d heavily advise against calling us _that_.”

“Wait—there’s a difference?”

Anakin stared at Catcher for a minute before he laughed again and attempted to run his fingers through his hair.

“You really _don’t_ know anything, do you? You poor bastard,” moving to get to his feet with a grunt, Anakin peered out of the door to the gunship to see if anyone was coming before looking back at Catcher. “There’s a big difference. Sith are more like an organization— _similar_ to Jedi, but… more discreet. There’s only two allowed to be active at once and we know who _one_ is, at the moment. There are rumors as to the second, but they’re just rumors.”

“So, the woman Iza was trying to bed…?”

“Is the apprentice of a Sith, but is not _actually_ a Sith, no.”

“Right.” Catcher looked even more confused than ever. “So, if you’re not Sith and you’re not Jedi— _what the **hell** are you?_”

“It depends on the person, really. Some prefer the term _Darksider_ , while I’m a little fonder of Dark Jedi, personally.”

“Helps you blend in, right?”

“ _Right_.”

Humming quietly in thought, Catcher started to say something when he suddenly paused and put his head in his hands, groaning almost miserably.

“ _Little Bit, **really**?_”

“What? What is it?” Looking alarmed, Anakin wasn’t sure if he ought to find something to get the cuffs off or not.

“I don’t know what Obi-Wan thinks is going to _help_ guide her through this,” blowing out an irritated breath, the Commander gave an annoyed glare out of the windscreen to match. “But if I’m feeling what I _think_ I’m feeling from her, then the man has some rather _unconventional_ methods.”

“If he’s done a soul bond with her, then it’s just a by-product.” Well, he could breathe a bit easier now that he knew neither of his partners was in immediate danger. “Surely it’s happened with the two of you?”

“We tend to just…” Catcher waved a hand and shrugged. “That’s how we naturally are with one another. I would have thought you’d figured that out by now. The Roni Bond—”

“ _Runi_.”

“— _that_ thing kind of amplifies things a bit. But it’s like I said, I encouraged her to work her frustrations out on me and I guess I might’ve created a bit of a monster in the process.”

“ _You think?_ ” Anakin’s snicker was teasing as he tutted and stooped to pick up his toolbox, jerking his head towards the ramp before moving to exit the gunship. “Obi-Wan’s favorite thing to tell her is how spoiled she is.”

“Where’s the fun in it if you don’t give her what she wants?” Getting up from his seat, Catcher turned his hand up. “Maybe I’m a different type of man here, but I find it more rewarding. Unless we’re playing some real specific game, Little Bit gets what Little Bit wants.”

“Hey—I’m with you on that one. But Obi-Wan is Mr. Discipline.” Rolling his eyes, Anakin shook his head. “I don’t know how much she talks to you about… _us_ , but he’s definitely got a different set of rules for the game than I do.”

“We don’t talk about it in great detail unless she comes back to me covered in bite marks and bruises,” shooting the other man a pointed look, the Clone snorted. “But I’ve told her that as long as you two abide by her boundaries—I don’t _care_.”

“Boundaries are pretty important to Obi-Wan. And _me_ , before you say anything.” Heading up into the next gunship he was due to tinker with, Anakin shifted his arms in the cuffs and made a face. “Hey, how good are your senses?”

“My senses?” Following after him, Catcher raised an eyebrow.

“Can you tell how far away or how close to you she is?”

“Oh—uh,” making a face like he was concentrating for a moment, Catcher frowned. “She hasn’t moved. They’re still down in holding. Why?”

“I’m just a little concerned. Obi-Wan was pretty sure she was already mid-fall. It really shouldn’t take long to guide her through the rest of it.” Dropping the toolbox, the taller man sat down beside it with a grunt and got to work on removing the panel that housed the tracking chip. “Of course—if what you’re feeling is anything to go by, I guess it’d make sense that they’re taking longer.”

“I can send one of the—”

“It’d be a real stupid move to send someone down there to _check_ on them and you know it.” Laughing, Anakin shook his head. “Besides, I can still feel _some_ of what’s going on and she doesn’t seem to be as frantic as she was before.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Yes, Catcher. That’s very good.” Squinting as he searched for the chip, Anakin hummed thoughtfully. “It means he’s got her balanced. Even a Dark Jedi needs balance.”

Nodding, Catcher was content to just fall silent for a while as Anakin worked. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he felt a nudge somewhere along his bond and found himself getting to his feet without realizing it.

“Where are you going?” Sitting up so quick he almost bashed his head, Anakin stared after him.

“She’s calling me,” Catcher didn’t even look back at the other man as he walked out of the gunship.

“Calling you?” Getting to his feet to follow, Anakin wished he had the key to the damn cuffs to get them off. “What do you mean?”

“I just…” gesturing in front of him as he continued walking, Catcher shrugged. “She’s pulling. I don’t know how else to describe it.”

“Can you block it?”

“No.”

“Did you _try?_ ”

Stopping in his tracks, Catcher managed to stay in place for about five seconds before he began walking again.

“I _can’t_.” There was a light amount of panic in his voice, but mostly over the loss of his free will. “Anakin, what the _hell?_ ”

“Obi-Wan is showing her tricks,” huffing, Anakin ran in front of him to charge his way back into the main area of the starship and down into the holding area to the cell where he’d been made to leave Iza and Obi-Wan behind. The door was still shut tight and he could hear them talking on the other side before he lightly rapped his knuckles against it. “Are you two having fun in there?”

“I thought you said you nudged Catcher?” Obi-Wan asked before the sound of the cot squeaking was heard.

“I _did_ ,” there was the soft rustle of clothing and Anakin was becoming impatient as he waited for someone to open the damn door. When it finally slid open and he stepped inside, he wasn’t surprised in the slightest to find the brunette sitting up on the cot with the singular blanket wrapped around her shoulders while Obi-Wan stood off to the side, pulling his robes back on.

“Hey sweetness,” smiling at her faintly as he eyed her, Anakin raised an eyebrow.

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,” oh, he wasn’t sure how he felt about that tone. “Where’s Catcher?”

“On his way, probably,” deciding that he didn’t want to take the chance that her tone meant he was in some sort of danger, the younger man stayed in his spot and tilted his head. “You okay?”

“Oh, I’m _fine_ ,” Iza smiled and gave a tiny flick of her fingers, releasing the cuffs on his wrists. “But you’re not.”

“Obi-Wan?” Anakin took a step back and heard the other man laugh.

“If _I_ had to deal with her anger, so do _you_ ,” Obi-Wan gave a solid pat to his partner’s shoulder and glanced back at the woman on the cot. “ _Be gentle_ , darling.”

“We’ll see,” she muttered back, her eyes never leaving Anakin. “Tell Catcher that I’ll speak to him when I’m done.”

“Will do, my sweet.”

Once Obi-Wan had left the cell, Iza waved her fingers at Anakin to beckon him closer.

“Come here, _cyar’ika_.” Somehow, her tone was less threatening than the look in her eye. “I won’t hurt you.”

“Care to put that in writing?” Blowing out a breath, Anakin slowly crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the cot. He let out a soft noise of surprise when Iza snatched him by the back of the robes and hauled him beside her, staring up at her with wide eyes. “ _Hi_ ,”

“Hello,” the touch of her hand was surprisingly gentle when it traced the scar on his cheek. “You know I’m angry with you too, right?”

“I can imagine, sweetness,” sighing, he leaned into the touch and frowned. “I’m not trying to shift the blame, but I wasn’t the one who wanted to hide this from you.”

“How did you do it?” A single finger twisted around a bit of his caramel colored hair, the look on her face curious. “How did you hide something like that from me when we’ve reached into each other so deeply?”

“It wasn’t easy,” shifting, he rested his head on her lap and tentatively slipped his arm around her. “I wanted to say something sooner, but you know how he is.”

“Yes I do,” giving a light tug to the piece of hair, Iza made a face. “I should’ve known something was wrong the first night we bonded.”

“You never said anything about what you felt from me,” Anakin knit his brows together lightly. “Why?”

“Because I didn’t know it was you. I thought it was all me, Anakin. I got scared because I thought you’d see it and feel it and tell Obi-Wan that there was something wrong with me.”

Watching her for a long moment he sat up and pulled her closer, dipping his head to rest it against hers. Anakin didn’t say anything as the brunette shifted around on the bed until she was nestled comfortably against his chest, smiling when he felt the light brush of her lips against his chin.

“I wouldn’t have said anything, Iza,” he tightened his arm around her and shut his eyes. “Not unless I thought you were a danger to us or yourself.”

“You’re so… _different_ from him.” Tucking her head against his shoulder, Iza slid her arms around him and nuzzled at his neck.

“I hope so,” laughing, Anakin kissed the side of her head. “I love him, but I don’t know if I’d want to be exactly like him.”

“I know you’re the one who picked me for the assignment.”

“Is that right?”

“I know it’s because you knew I had a fondness for him, and because you had a fondness for me.” Letting out a soft laugh, Iza leaned back to look at him. “But I wonder— _did you know_ , Anakin?”

“Did I know what?”

“Could you feel it?” Squinting lightly as she studied him, the brunette reached up and traced a fingertip over his bottom lip. “Did you know that I’d Fallen?”

“The honest answer to that question is _no_. I didn’t have a clue, sweetness.” Shrugging, the younger man kissed her finger and smirked. “But I knew you struggled. Master Windu made it very clear to both of us that you were to be treated delicately because of it.”

“And yet—the two of you pushed my buttons the very first night.” Smiling up at him with a slow shake of her head, Iza tutted and got a roll of the eyes and a kiss to her forehead in return.

“I seem to recall _almost_ giving you what you wanted. Obi-Wan was the one holding me back.”

“I think he was worried we were going to hurt each other, or wake something up that we shouldn’t have.” Leaning up, she lightly nuzzled her nose against his. “He was right to interrupt, honestly. You don’t know what you did to me when you put your hand around my neck the way you did.”

“I have some idea, Iza,” ghosting his lips over hers, Anakin couldn’t help grinning. “I still hear those sweet little sounds in my head sometimes.”

“I wanted you so much. _So much_.” The blanket was slipping off of her shoulders but Iza either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “He just wouldn’t… _shut up_.”

“We weren’t going to touch you the first night,” Anakin confessed, teeth grazing against the top of Iza’s ear before he bowed his head to find the mark he’d started on her neck. “He made me swear not to. He pushed me to frustrate you until you made me stop. I gave him an earful for it.”

Iza let out a soft, shaky laugh and tilted her head for him, reaching to bury her fingers in his hair.

“Why am I not surprised?” Gasping softly as his fingers slipped beneath the blanket to cup and tease one of her breasts, the brunette leaned into his touch. “I fell in love with you first. You know that, right?”

“I had a feeling,” he paused long enough to dampen his fingers with his tongue before going back to playing with her nipple, growling quietly against her neck when he felt her press a palm against the erection tenting the front of his trousers. “You felt so nervous. I didn’t know what to do. I really didn’t want to let you leave but…”

“I didn’t mean to make you think that I didn’t want you,” gently knocking her head against his, Iza blew out a heavy breath and swallowed a low moan. “Going with him and letting him bed me first—I didn’t want you to think—”

“ _Hush_ ,” picking his head up, Anakin sealed his lips over hers and carefully nudged her back on the cot, moving to get the layers of his robes off. “I know. I know, sweetness.”

“You were so upset about Asajj,” was now a good time for this conversation? Iza had no idea. But she had to talk about _something_ while she watched him get undressed. “After you’d put your ass on the line to try and get Catcher back for me, I should never… I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Hey,” crawling over her with a faint smile on his face, Anakin settled himself on top of her and rested his forehead to hers. “Obi-Wan was right. I should’ve been a little more open to the idea of letting you explore.”

“But—”

“Reach for me,” sliding his fingers along her arms to take her hands in his, the younger man lightly nudged his hips against hers with a slow grin. “Like we did before. I want to show you something.”

“Are we going to get in trouble?”

“Maybe,” he nipped her bottom lip. “But I swear it’s worth it.”

“Okay,” nodding, Iza shut her eyes and gave his fingers a light squeeze before she took a deep breath and reached along their bond. “I trust you, Anakin. _I trust you_.”


	25. Give Me the Control

“Sweetness,” Anakin rubbed his top lip as he stared at the sea of Clones gathered in front of him. “I thought you said _twenty or thirty?_ ”

“It was a rough estimate!” Turning her hands up, Iza wasn’t sure what to make of the crowd. There had to be over a hundred men crammed in here, looking at her expectantly for whatever orders she planned to give. Members of her battalion mixed with starship crew and even a few scattered members of the 212th stood before them, the Stars standing proudly at attention at the front. “We’re gonna need more gunships.”

“Sir,” stepping forward, Unk raised his brow in a silent request to speak. When Iza nodded at him, he cleared his throat and glanced to Catcher. “We’ve spoken with Captain Rex.”

“You’ve _what?_ ” Iza’s eyes flicked to her Commander, who seemed to be trying very hard not to even glance in her direction.

“He’s given us a rendezvous point for pickup. He and several members of Torrent Company would… like to join us, sir.” Unk’s deep brown eyes turned to Anakin before he nodded slowly. “With your blessing of course, General Skywalker.”

Anakin put his hands up and gestured back to Iza.

“This is her plan. If Rex has men who want to come with us, then that’s fine with me. But I’m not in charge.”

“General?”

“Is there anyone else I should expect? Are any of the 187th going to show? Perhaps the Wolffe Pack?” Iza didn’t know whether she wanted to laugh or faint. This was a _lot_ of men. The place she’d secured for them might not be suitable to house them comfortably. She didn’t want them to think she’d taken them from one area of entrapment to another.

“No, sir,” Unk shook his head, eyeing her. “Just us and some of the Captain’s men.”

“I need to speak to Rex.” This was directed to Anakin more than anyone else. “I have to make sure I can accommodate all of them.”

“General Tacor,” Catcher stepped forward beside her and tilted his head to get her to look at him. “I assure you—our accommodations will be met.”

“You’ve got no idea where you’re being taken, Catcher,” she whispered, shooting him a look.

“I spoke to your contact, remember?” He gave her a look. “They assured us there was enough room for… well, an army.”

“But I am not bringing—these men are not going to be—I am giving them _freedom_ , Catcher.”

“And freedom they shall have, Little Bit,” he didn’t seem worried in the slightest when he pinched her chin and smiled at her warmly. “Trust me.”

“I still need to speak to Rex,” turning to look at Anakin, she straightened her spine and raised an eyebrow. “Would you be so kind as to start gathering names—CT numbers if they don’t have them, I suppose. There’s a chip scanner—”

“I will take care of it, sweetness,” Anakin gave a gentle tap of his fingers beneath her chin and smiled before looking over her head at Catcher. “Do you want to start with the left side of the room and I’ll take the right?”

“Roger that, General,” addressing the crowd, Catcher waved his hand. “All right men, you heard him. Half of you on the left, half on the right. Line up and present your wrists for scanning.”

Iza left as the troopers began separating into the two groups, making a beeline for the communications portal. Tightening the oversized cloak wrapped around her shoulders—she _still_ couldn’t seem to get warm—the brunette ushered the crew out of the room and closed the door behind them before fussing with the panel. Drumming her fingers against the console as she waited, Iza raised an eyebrow when Rex’s figure popped up on the holo-screen in front of her.

“General Tacor,” he smiled expectantly, tucking his arms behind his back. “I was wondering when I’d hear from you, sir.”

“How many, Rex?” Better to get straight to the point. If they were going to compile a list, she needed an exact number.

“Not nearly as many as you,” he laughed and shrugged. “Twenty three.”

“All of them Torrent?”

“Yes sir,”

“Unk said you had some sort of rendezvous plan.” Dropping down into the nearest chair, Iza crossed her legs and wrapped the cloak around her. “Care to tell me about it?”

“Sir,” he nodded and drew in a deep breath. “General Skywalker has a contact that is willing to loan out a transport ship in exchange for a future favor. The ship can hold an entire battalion, and then some. You would only need to get your men to Gol for pickup.”

“ _Gol_ ,” she stared at him for a long moment, wondering if he’d lost his damn mind. Starfighters had a hard enough time getting through the damn unstable asteroid belt that surrounded the place; how the _hell_ was she supposed to get a squad of gunships through? “Rex, who is this contact?”

“I’m not sure I’m at liberty to discuss that, sir.”

“Humor me,”

“I do not have a name, sir,” Rex waved a hand. “But the communications come from Tatooine.”

Iza sucked her teeth in thought and heaved a sigh. _Well_ —she didn’t know much about Tatooine aside from the things Anakin had told her about it. She’d never been; there were many places she’d never been in the galaxy, it seemed. Waving a dismissive hand, she pinched the bridge of her nose and shut her eyes.

“You’re positive we can safely get to and from that place, Rex?”

“Yes sir,” he nodded. “Your men explained the plan you had to cover your tracks and while it’s a bit amateurish, it should work.”

“Amateurish?”

“I mean no disrespect, General.”

“Look,” getting to her feet, Iza wrapped herself up tighter and frowned lightly. “I’m far more concerned with how things will be once we’re on Odran’oel. My contact has apparently assured Catcher that there’s plenty of room for everyone but…” sighing deeply, the brunette wouldn’t look at him. “I’m not trying to cram everyone into barracks again. That’s not the plan.”

“Sir,” Rex eyed her for a moment before he cleared his throat. “With all due respect, you’re underestimating our ability to adapt. None of us are expecting some lavish place like your Jedi Temple. Hell—most of us would be extremely comfortable to continue sleeping in barracks knowing we’ve been given what we were promised.”

“You will have it,” turning green eyes to the holo-transmission of the man before her, Iza nodded slowly. “If nothing else, your liberation will be given to you, Rex.”

“Then you’ve got nothing to fret over, General.” He smiled easily.

“I suppose you’ve got a point.” Working her jaw, the brunette lowered her gaze and sighed quietly. “All right. Send all of your information to Catcher— _no one else_.”

“Sir?”

“Captain,” Iza kept her eyes pointed at the ground. “My Commander is the only one I trust with this information. You know this. I don’t want Anakin or Obi-Wan attempting to make any changes to these plans. Everything goes _straight_ to Catcher, understood?”

“Yes sir,”

“You’re a good man, Rex. I owe you for this. For a lot more than this, really.”

“General Tacor,” he shook his head. “I think this makes us even. This is quite a hefty favor you’re doing for me and my men.”

“You surprise me by wanting to go,” she still didn’t have it in her to look at him. “You were pretty adamant against this idea the first time I brought it up to you.”

“You’re going to need help keeping these men in line, General. And someone’s going to need to keep an eye on you and Skywalker.”

“Anakin and I don’t need babysitting, _Rex_ ,” she laughed quietly and shook her head, sparing him a quick glance. “We’ve got Obi-Wan for that.”

“But you’ll need help with the men.”

“They’re not going to be soldiers anymore, Captain.” Shrugging, the brunette turned a hand up. “I admit that I’m unsure of what to do with them now that there’s going to be so damn many of them, but I don’t want them to believe that they’re trading one army for another. That’s not my intention for them at all.”

“General,” there was something that sparkled in Rex’s eyes as he smiled that Iza wasn’t sure she liked. “We will always be soldiers. _Yourself included_.”

“I still have no intention of—”

“We’re well aware of your intentions, sir. But the liberation you promise also gives _us_ the freedom to choose what we’d like to do with that liberation—doesn’t it?”

Staring at him for a long moment, Iza turned towards the console and leaned into the edge of it. She wasn’t sure what to say to that. He had a point; once the men were free from the GAR, they could do whatever they wanted. If they wanted to serve under her as a new military unit, they were certainly free to do so. This just wasn’t something she’d _expected_. The idea hadn’t even crossed her damn mind, honestly. She would’ve thought that they’d want to get away from the lives they had as soldiers and start new. Perhaps some of them would; some of them would depart from her company and she’d never see them again. The others would stay behind and do whatever they felt was best for them to do. She would just have to wait and see.

“General?”

“Yes,” she nodded and smiled weakly when she looked up at him again. “You can do whatever you like with your freedom, Rex.”

The blond surveyed her for a moment and appeared to sigh.

“I will have the information sent to Commander Catcher as soon as possible, sir.” He gave a curt nod and reached to end the transmission when Iza lifted a hand.

“Wait,” straightening, she pulled the panels of the borrowed cloak tighter around herself and cleared her throat. “You _know_ , right?”

Rex canted his head, confused. Silence stretched between the two and for a moment, Iza was sure she’d fucked up. Maybe Rex wasn’t supposed to know this information; maybe he wasn’t supposed to know that Anakin had Fallen. She’d almost kept the information from her Stars, but decided that coming clean was the better option, if only because she needed them to trust her. Popper, especially. She didn’t want him to think that because she’d crossed, she would treat him any different than she had in the past. None of her men needed that kind of anxiety on their chests.

“Sir,” Rex drew in a deep breath and fixed her with a look. “I am not at liberty to speak on the things that General Skywalker has told me in confidence. But if it puts you at ease— _I know_.”

“I don’t mean about—”

“I know full well what you mean, sir. I would not put my men in the hands of someone I did not trust.” His eyes hardened as he stared her down from the transmission, almost like he was warning her. “Is that all, sir?”

“Yep.” Moving away from the console, she waved her hand. “I will be in contact.”

“Very well. I will speak to you soon, sir,”

Giving a light salute, Iza watched the holo-transmission blink out and moved to sit back down, covering her mouth with a hand. Poor Rex. That bastard had been turned into a giant diary for Jedi secrets, hadn’t he? Between the things he’d kept private for her and whatever he kept secret for Anakin, the man could probably write a whole book. _Well_ , she supposed she needed to go and check on the status of the lists that were being compiled, but she’d suddenly become very curious about what Obi-Wan had been doing this entire time. She felt him somewhere off near the back of the starship—near the chamber he’d claimed for himself—and he hadn’t moved much since she’d last done a quick search for him. That had been well over three hours ago. Perhaps he was sleeping?

Getting up from the chair, she left the room and made her way down to the back end of the ship, standing outside of the door where Obi-Wan’s signature felt the strongest. Picking her hand up to knock, she was startled when the door slid open and she was met with the sight of him sitting shirtless and cross-legged in the center of the room.

“Darling,” he didn’t even open his eyes as he smirked and lifted a hand to wave her inside. “Something the matter?”

“I wanted to check on you.” Coming further into the room, Iza absently tightened the cloak around her shoulders and eyed him. “Have I disturbed you, love?”

“Not at all,” shaking his head, he opened his eyes and Iza felt a shiver slide up her spine at the brief flicker of gold that greeted her. It faded back to blue within seconds, but she was left to stare with her mouth half open in surprise. Obi-Wan simply raised an eyebrow at her and tilted his head. “Darling?”

“Your eyes,” she murmured, perhaps sounding a bit more startled than she should.

“Oh dear,” moving to get to his feet and go to the adjoined washroom to check his reflection, he frowned lightly. “Terribly sorry, darling. I was meditating. They seem to be all right now.”

“The color is so pretty,” Iza wasn’t sure if she was supposed to say that. She’d always been terrified of the amber color hers liked to turn when she got too close to the edge; she wasn’t sure how she’d feel if she saw them like that now. Obi-Wan chuckled from the other room and leaned against the doorframe as he looked her over, tutting softly.

“I’m glad you think so. They don’t stay that way very long.” Eyeing her, he reached out and gave a light tug to the cloak. “What’s this about, darling?”

“I’m cold,” pouting, Iza watched him while he frowned and stepped closer. “I haven’t been able to warm up since you let me leave the cell.”

“Well, _that’s_ not good, is it?” He smiled at her and reached out to pull the panels of the cloak open, running his fingers along her arm and humming softly. “You feel quite warm to me, darling. Are you sure?”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” she huffed. “It’s my body.”

“Yes it is,” he reached up further and pushed the fabric off her shoulders, gathering it to toss it aside once he’d gotten her free of the thing. “Come, sit with me.”

Iza allowed him to pull her to the center of the room where he sat and guided her down into his lap. She couldn’t help shutting her eyes when he started skimming his hands along the sides of her neck and down her chest, moving them around to her back and over her sides in slow passes while he hummed quietly in thought. After a moment or two, he gave her chin a little pinch to draw her attention, frowning lightly.

“Iza,” he lifted her arms and pressed the tips of their fingers together, which she thought was _very_ strange. “Did you soul bond with Anakin?”

She felt her face starting to flush pink and knew it would give her away even if she tried to lie. Slowly, she nodded and felt a strange sort of tingle start in her palms when he pressed his hands to hers.

“ _That boy_ ,” blowing out a frustrated breath, Obi-Wan shook his head and shifted closer. “Come here, darling.”

“Your lap?”

“Your usual spot, my dear,”

Shifting around, Iza carefully moved into Obi-Wan’s lap until her legs straddled his hips and her chest was pressed flush against his. He seemed to refuse to let her free her hands, which made things a little difficult. Shutting her eyes lightly as his forehead came to rest against hers, the brunette let out a soft noise at the growl that rumbled in Obi-Wan’s chest and reverberated against hers. She half expected him to crush her lips beneath his when she felt the brush of his mustache over her skin but he stayed in place, instead lurching his torso forward to press it harder into hers.

“On your back, darling,” he murmured, pushing himself up onto his knees. Iza gasped when she slid off of his lap and hit the floor, unsure how she felt about the way he covered her so suddenly as he brought her hands up over her head.

“ _Obi-Wan?_ ”

“You’re safe,” he promised, giving an affectionate nuzzle to her nose. “I swear to you, you’re safe.”

“What are you doing?”

“Fixing that boy’s mistake,” his blue eyes seemed to be lightening as he gazed down at her, and he gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “May I kiss you, darling?”

Iza really wanted to watch his eyes brighten into gold, but he seemed to be concerned about whatever it was Anakin had done to her. Nodding slowly, she whined into the hard kiss he pressed to her lips, unable to keep from squeezing her thighs against his hips. Almost instantly, she felt his Force energy rush into her the way it did when they bonded this way in the past, but instead of being transported to the usual temple-like sacred space, Iza found herself settled in a garden area beneath a ceiling of gorgeous stars. She hadn’t known he could change the scenery like that; or perhaps this was just another room in their space?

Wherever they were, she couldn’t see him. She could feel his fingers moving like they were working to push something out from beneath her skin, massaging and pushing firmly to the end of her fingertips. A few times, she squirmed in her spot and whined; the sensation was so _weird_. It took her a while to realize that she was starting to warm up again, enough to where she was beginning to breathe heavily into the mouth still fixed against her lips. Her hands shifted against his palms and her fingers slipped between his and Iza felt her hips arch up from the ground into his. She didn’t know what he’d done, what he’d shifted around or how he’d done it, but _boy_ —he sure as hell had kick-started quite the fire inside of her.

“In a moment,” he murmured against her lips, teeth grazing against the bottom one. “I’m not finished. Watch the stars, darling.”

Dazed eyes flicked up to the sky that glittered above her and she noted that the stars were the same shade of gold his eyes had been before. _So pretty_. She almost wanted to shake her hands free and reach for them, but he held tight to her and pressed his chest harder into hers, pinning her into the grass while their hearts began beating with the same steady rhythm. She couldn’t keep still beneath him, legs dragging up and down along the sides of his thighs while she pulled at his grasp and tried like hell to rock her hips up into him. Twice she made sounds of frustration and thought she heard him laugh breathlessly. And then suddenly, the stars above were fading out of sight and the grass beneath her became plush carpeting once more. Obi-Wan’s hands were burning hot when they released her fingers and slipped underneath her tunic, the drag of his teeth sharp against the skin of her neck.

“What was that?” One hand found his hair while the other braced itself against his arm.

“Our dear boy showed you something new, didn’t he?” While his tone was accusing, Obi-Wan also sounded amused. “Perhaps he broke the bond too quickly?”

“I…” _yes_ —Anakin had definitely shown her a new way to bond that evening, but the bond had been broken by mistake. It’d been her fault, not his. “I did. I didn’t mean to.”

“Darling,” growling against her skin as he pushed the tunic up over her tits, the older man dipped his head to kiss the soft mounds of flesh, nipping at them lightly. “You really must be careful.”

“I couldn’t help it,” arching into his mouth, Iza whined and pulled her tunic off over her head. “He touched something… and it scared me.”

Obi-Wan picked his head up and stared at her. _Force_ —the gold was pretty in his eyes. Especially with the blue slowly bleeding into the edges. But he looked concerned as he started to straighten and pulled her up with him.

“What do you mean, love?” Obi-Wan tried to steady his breathing, smoothing his hands up along her bare back. “What did he touch?”

“Obi-Wan,” licking her lips, the brunette leaned into him and tried to kiss him, only to have him put a finger to her lips and shake his head.

“ _Darling_ ,” that damn serious look of his was going to kill her. “What did he touch?”

“I don’t know. I think he was trying to help.”

“Help?”

“ _Must_ we do this now?” Pressing her lips together tightly, she gave his hips a squeeze and whined. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Iza,” grasping her chin, he gave her that hard look that signaled she wasn’t going to get what she wanted _at all_ if she didn’t tell him what he wanted to know. It made her huff and give a childish whimper before she turned her head away and scowled at the floor.

“I think he tried to fix the mess Master Windu made. It felt _strange_ when he touched it and I pulled away before I could ask him to stop. He apologized. He had no ill intentions, Obi-Wan. There’s no need to scold him.”

“He should not have done that,” the older man let out a heavy sounding sigh and Iza knew he had to be shaking his head. “That wound will heal on its own, Iza.”

“I didn’t _ask_ him—”

“I’m aware, darling,” his lips brushed her cheek, his forehead coming to rest against her temple. “Breaking the bond like that threw you _far_ out of balance, my dear. This will feel different now. Your body will become cold. Perhaps your mood will become sour or violent. I want you to promise me that you’ll tell me if you feel this way again, for any reason.”

“I promise,” she whispered, shutting her eyes when he nuzzled at the side of her head.

“Have I lost you, darling?” Smiling against her cheek, Obi-Wan brushed tentative fingers against the underside of one of her breasts. “Are you upset with me?”

“Frustrated,” she admitted, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth. “I hate when you work me up and do this to me.”

“Mm,” dropping his head, he nibbled a line along her shoulder and nestled closer, moving his fingers higher to trace slow circles around her nipple. “And I’ve told you many times before that it’s my duty to make sure you’re doing well, my sweet.”

“I’m fine now,” bringing a hand up to run it through his hair, the brunette whined softly when he gently pinched and tugged at the sensitive tip, her hips rolling slowly into his. “ _Obi-Wan,_ ”

“Let’s get you up on the bed, darling,” scooping her up, he carefully got to his feet and carried her the short distance to his bed to settle her down across it, fingers sliding down her torso to curl in the waist of her trousers. “You’re not wearing your military uniform?”

“Off-duty, remember? On _your_ insistence.” Smiling faintly, she lifted her hips to help him get the pants down, snickering when he realized he still had to get her boots off. Watching while he fussed with buckles and zips, Iza tilted her head at him and idly ran the tips of her fingers around her nipples. “Why have I never seen your eyes change like that before?”

He looked up at her and blinked, his gaze focusing on her hands at first before it lifted to her face. A soft smirk lifted the corner of his lips before he tugged her boots free and pulled her pants off along with them. Kissing one of her ankles, he worked his way down her calf and along the inside of one thigh, occasionally nipping at the skin as he hummed and made himself comfortable between her knees.

“I think you can answer that question for yourself, darling,” nuzzling the soft skin of her inner thigh, Obi-Wan listened for that impatient sound she always made when he took too long to give her what she wanted, surprised when she only squirmed and let out a harsh breath through her nose. “Not going to complain tonight, my sweet?”

“You always get fussy,” she pouted, giving her breasts a squeeze as she watched him as patiently as she possibly could. She wished he’d move his fingers a little higher. Biting down on her tongue, she swallowed hard when he began peppering kisses along her pelvis, trying not to flinch at the way his beard tickled her skin. “ _Master_ ,”

“ _Darling_ ,” his hot breath gusted across her belly as he growled at her, eyes lifting to stare at her from beneath the hair that had fallen across his forehead. “You mustn’t,”

She wouldn’t even give him a defiant look this time around, too busy settling a leg over his shoulder as she rolled her nipples between her fingers and poked her bottom lip out.

“ _Master Kenobi_ ,” her voice was so soft and needy and it sent just the right kind of chill straight down Obi-Wan’s spine, making a quiet snarl rise in his throat as he shook his head at her.

“Why do you test me?” His teeth were so sharp and unkind when he nipped at her belly, making her hips jump and a whine get caught in her throat. “Every damn time, you _push_.”

“Because you enjoy it as much as I do, Master,” she gasped when he nipped lower, twisting under him. Feeling him slide his hands beneath her thighs, Iza groaned lowly when he grasped the backs of them and pushed her legs up towards her chest, letting out a startled shout when his teeth sank into one thigh.

“Perhaps I should see how long you last while begging me like that,” his smirk was faint, but still visible before he set his teeth against her flesh again and growled quietly. “I’d truly love to see you come apart, my darling girl,”

“He’s going to get upset,” Iza challenged, arching her back as he turned his head to drag his teeth over the other thigh. “I’m supposed to be working.”

“Mm, but he had you already,” lowering her legs back to the bed, Obi-Wan started crawling over her—much to her dismay—and lowered his head to kiss and lick each one of her nipples until they were rosy pink and stinging with sensation. “And don’t argue about what we did. Fingers do not count, darling.”

“And my mouth?” She watched him pick his head up and stare at her with those damn sharp eyes of his again. “Did that not count, my darling?”

“It only counts,” taking one tight peak between his teeth, he tugged until Iza squealed and brought her hand up to grasp at his hair, releasing her with a low chuckle. “When you’re dripping down my—”

“ _Obi-Wan!_ ” Iza stared at him, eyes wide.

“I’m sorry,” smiling, he moved to the other nipple to do the same. “Were you speaking to another man, darling? There is no _Obi-Wan_ here. Only _Master Kenobi_.” Humming as he drew the hard tip into his mouth and sucked, the older man pulled back and rubbed his thumb in circles around it. “I could go find this _Obi-Wan_ if you like?”

“No!” She shook her head and whimpered as he pinched and rolled the damp tip between his fingers, arching and writhing on the bed. “No, sir,”

“Very well,” settling beside her, he flashed that vicious smile of his and rested his head against her shoulder, lightly dragging the tips of his fingers along the center of her torso before sliding them up to her neck. The smile became feral when she gasped and lifted her chin to encourage him to wrap his hand around her throat. Leaning over, he nuzzled the side of her head and chuckled quietly. “If I do, will you do something for me, darling?”

“Yes sir,” she was so damn quick to please.

“Are you sure you want to agree so easily?”

“ _Master_ ,” Iza very nearly reached up to tap his knuckles the way she usually did with Anakin, but that wouldn’t be a smart move. Obi-Wan had a horrible tendency to _stop_ whenever she urged him on like that. Whining when his teeth grazed the edge of her ear, the brunette flexed her fingers against the blanket beneath her and squeezed her thighs together to try and get _some_ sort of relief.

 _Bad idea_.

The hard press of fingers grasping one of her thighs startled her, but not quite so much as the harsh strike of a palm that stung the inside of it once her knees had been pried apart. Crying out, Iza covered her mouth with the back of her hand and stared at him with wide eyes, watching the way he gauged her reaction with a careful gaze. After a moment, he was running soothing passes of his fingers over the spot that was already beginning to swell from the vicious slap. His lips pressed against her neck, teeth gentle as they nibbled a spot below her ear.

“I’m sorry, darling,” he whispered, sweeping his fingers higher. “I did not mean to frighten you.”

“It’s okay,” she didn’t know why she felt so meek suddenly. It wasn’t as though he’d never swatted her before, after all. Perhaps just not in such a sensitive spot. Reaching over, she lightly ran her nails through his beard and leaned her head against his. “It’s okay, Obi-Wan.”

“I should not have been so harsh,” blue eyes were soft as they gazed at her, the hand between her thighs settling against that part of her that ached for his attention the most. He seemed to smile when she involuntarily nudged her hips up, and he slowly began circling a fingertip around her clit. “I will not do that again.”

“You only startled me, my love,” already, Iza’s breath was becoming heavy as she swallowed a low moan and gave a tiny tug to the ends of his beard. “You didn’t hurt me.”

“Do not argue,” press-rubbing the sensitive little nub until the brunette’s thighs began to tremble and she dropped her hand to grasp the blanket again, Obi-Wan leaned in and stole an absurdly soft kiss. “Is it too much, darling?”

Iza shook her head and mewled as her back arched, tipping her hips up and spreading her thighs further apart to try and encourage him to slide his fingers inside of her. He refused, continuing the slow passes of his fingertips until she was panting and shivering from head to toe. Poking her tongue out from between her teeth, she seemed to mull something over before laying a restraining hand against his wrist and looking up at him through barely cracked lids, watching the way he smiled at her affectionately.

“What is it, darling?”

“Not yet,” was she even allowed to do that? Iza was never sure what the rules were when she played games with this man. At least Anakin and Catcher were easy men to read. Obi-Wan seemed to have a manual with ever-changing contents.

“Not yet?” This earned her a raise of the brow and an amused chuckle, the passes of his fingers slowing to a feather light touch. “And why not?”

“You never told me what you wanted, Master Kenobi,” perhaps starting that game over wasn’t wise, but Iza had already forgiven him for the sharp smack. There was no need to dwell on it, really.

“I shall tell you later,”

“ _Master_ ,”

“Darling, I do enjoy how you beg,” he’d picked up the pace again, running his fingers in quick little circles as he kissed his way down her torso and rested his head against her hip. “But you must learn _patience_.”

“I swear to the Force,” Iza _knew_ speaking out of frustration was only going to earn her more of his torture, but she really couldn’t handle it this time. “One of these nights I’ll just roll you over and—”

“And what, darling?” He’d stopped altogether, looking up at her with a curious expression. He tried desperately not to snicker as Iza shook with need and anger beneath his cheek, watching the way her eyes went wide while she shifted her legs around on the bed like that might get him to start touching her again. It wouldn’t, but the little display was adorable. “What do you think you’ll do, my sweet?”

“The next time you mention _patience,_ I will sit on that pretty face of yours and shut you up— _my darling_.”

Iza wasn’t sure of what to make of the savage sound that left the man beside her, but she certainly wasn’t prepared for the way he bowed his head and sank his teeth into the swell of her hip.

“ _Iza_ ,” his tone was thick and rough as he dragged damp fingers down the inside of the thigh still sensitive from the earlier swat. “You really mustn’t tease like that, my dear,”

“Who is teasing?”

He picked his head up again to stare at her, blue eyes glittering in a manner she supposed was meant to be playful. It only served to make him look as feral as ever, especially when one brow slowly lifted on his forehead and that damn wicked smile of his came into play. Iza half expected him to lunge at her with the way he was looking at her like that, but he only bowed his head and let his bottom lip brush against her skin while he appeared to think something over. She felt the soft gust of breath against her hip when he let out a single snicker and shrugged his shoulder, heard him tut quietly before he was biting at the dip in her waist.

“You’re an _awful_ girl,” he murmured, stroking his fingers along the inside of her thigh again. “You keep such _filth_ in your mind, darling.”

“Have you got somewhere better to put it, Master Kenobi?” Raising a brow, Iza squealed with startled laughter when Obi-Wan buried his face against her side and let out another one of those heavy snarls. _Oh_ , okay. So this was what it was like when he broke. Good to know. Listening to the way he breathed harshly against her skin like he was trying to center himself, Iza lifted a hand from the bed and combed her fingers into his hair, giving just the _tiniest_ of tugs.

“ _Darling_ ,” his voice was muffled and so damn rough she hardly recognized it. “I would not,”

“Will you hurt me?” It was meant to be an innocent question, really.

“Of course not,” he breathed, fingers digging deep into the flesh of her thigh. “But you’re pushing buttons.”

“Which buttons?”

“ _The bad ones_.”

“Like the night on the starship?” She could sometimes feel the sting of his teeth breaking her skin if she thought about it hard enough. Iza never quite knew how to feel about it, either. Sometimes, it made a delightful sort of warmth settle low in her belly; other times, it made her worried for herself and her lover’s stability.

Obi-Wan nodded and exhaled harshly when she dragged her nails across his scalp again, picking his head up to look at her. His cheeks were flushed and he looked more than ready to pounce. _Honestly_ —Iza was ready to let him. She was feeling so damn needy now that the temptation to give one more tug to the roots of his hair and pull him over the edge into true Bastard mode was becoming stronger and stronger. But the longer he looked at her like that, like he was trying to fight that side off for the sake of not harming or scaring her, she felt that perhaps _now_ was not a good time for that. Sliding her fingers down beneath his bearded chin, she smiled at the soft rumble she felt when he groaned, and gave him a light nudge.

“Master?”

“Yes, my dear?”

“Tell me what you want,”

He was in no mood to _tell_ her anything. Instead, Obi-Wan simply knelt up on the bed and dragged her with him. Iza was barely able to do more than let out a soft sound of surprise as he gathered her close and encouraged her to put her arms around his shoulders as he worked his trousers off his hips and sat back against the headboard. He gave a sharp tap to her backside when she tried to make herself comfortable on his lap, leaning up and taking her bottom lip between his teeth with a growl.

“Not yet,”

“ _Mas—_ ”

He pressed two fingers against her lips and eyed her a moment before curling the tips into her mouth, a slow smirk forming when she sucked them slowly. Leaning in, he rested his forehead to hers while his free hand guided her into position on his lap, his smirk becoming a devious sort of grin as he nudged his hips up and rubbed the head of his cock against the slick flesh of her cunt.

“What do we say, darling?” He murmured, easing his fingers from her mouth to drag them down the side of her neck.

“Please?”

“ _Ah_ —” strong fingers closed gently around her throat and drew a gasp from her before he grinned wider and shook his head. “Please _what_ , my sweet?”

“Please,” Iza pressed her forehead into his more firmly and swallowed hard, trying not to whine when he rubbed on her again. “ _Master Kenobi,_ ”

“Awful girl,” he tutted softly, tightening his hold on her neck as he settled his free hand on her hip and lowered her slowly onto his cock. There was nothing he could do to muffle the snarl that rose in his chest and passed into Iza’s mouth when he locked their lips together in a hard kiss; the mewling moan she gave in response only served to draw another harsh noise from him. He pulled her all the way down his length until she sat trembling in his lap, panting into his mouth and fighting against the urge to push further into the hand wrapped around her throat. Obi-Wan could only grin at the sight of her. “ _Look at you_ , darling,”

“Obi-Wan,” sweet mother of the Maker, she was already teetering. Between all of the taunting he’d done and the agonizingly slow way he’d taken her, Iza was pretty damn sure he was going to set off an orgasm the moment he started moving. Part of her wondered if it had something to do with the fact that she could literally feel him influencing her quite strongly along their bond. Lifting her forehead away from his would be near impossible even if she _wanted_ to; he’d anchored her there just as firmly as he’d anchored her in his lap. Surely he knew what he was doing to her. There was no way he didn’t.

“ _Not. Yet._ ” He drew his hips back as much as he could in his position, pushing them up with a heavy growl and a hard squeeze of his fingers against the sides of her neck. His eyes practically lit up at the way Iza squirmed on him and dragged her nails down his chest, but it was the cry he pulled from her that really fueled the fire within him. He did his best to be mindful of how much pressure he had on her throat, but the lunges of his hips were anything but kind. Once he found a steady enough rhythm, he gripped her hip with bruising force to guide her into following it until they were both making savage, throaty sounds that were interrupted by Iza’s soft little wails every so often.

Obi-Wan _knew_ he should’ve been gentler with her—perhaps he should’ve lifted the restriction on her orgasm and just let her come as many times as he could make her—but the brunette wasn’t protesting the ferocity of his actions. In fact, she seemed quite keen to allow him to drive himself as hard and as deep as he wanted, which wasn’t unusual. But he _very rarely_ took control over her orgasm like this. He didn’t know what sort of deep need he had to have absolute command over her like this or _why_ , but he had a funny feeling it had a _lot_ to do with the way she’d insisted on continuing to call him _Master_ despite his constant warnings.

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” Iza had reached up and wrapped her fingers around his wrist, pulling lightly as she gazed into his eyes with a glassy stare. Her breathing was so labored and heavy and she shook so damn hard every time he surged upward into her that he just _knew_ the second he lifted the hold he had on her, she was going to break.

“Darling,” ghosting his lips over hers with a weak grin and a light pass of his tongue against her bottom lip, he raised an eyebrow and nudged his nose against her cheek. “Will you give yourself to me?”

“ _Yes_ ,” the answer was immediate, followed by a quick nod of her head. “Yes sir,”

“Good girl,” he pulled her in tight and let go of the hold he had on her over their bond, shutting his eyes and grinning wide when she gasped sharply and let out a cry that would leave his ears ringing—and likely bring _someone_ running down to check and make sure everything was all right. Obi-Wan growled at the way she clutched at him and twisted her hips into his, rolling his eyes behind closed lids when her body tightened on him hard enough to nearly make him lose it alongside her. He’d dropped his hand from around her neck when he heard her start to wheeze, winding his arm around her shoulders as she sagged into his chest and gripped his shoulders. He would wait until she was merely trembling in his arms before he started moving again and the sweet little sounds of her whimpers spurred him on enough to drive him over the edge. Burying himself as deep as he could get, Obi-Wan pulled her in for a rough kiss as he poured himself into her, jerking his hips involuntarily as she scratched her nails over his skin. When both of them were left panting and shivering against one another, he broke away and dropped his head against her shoulder to try and catch his breath.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Iza rested her head against his and brought a hand up to thread her fingers into his sweat soaked hair. She sounded tearful and it worried him, but Obi-Wan didn’t have the energy to look at her just yet. “What have you done?”

 _That_ got his attention. Lifting his head, the older man stared at her with bleary eyes and raised an eyebrow, blinking sweat from his lashes.

“Darling?”

“The…” she couldn’t breathe and the tears streaking down her cheeks were startlingly hot. “You’ve… I thought…”

“Iza,” shaking hands came up to cup her face and level her gaze with his and Obi-Wan was a little more than startled to see how bright her eyes had become. He was fairly certain her eyes had still been their normal green before; the golden hue had not been present at all. Frowning, he tilted his head. “My dear, you’re babbling.”

“You said it would heal on its own,” blinking a few times to clear the fresh tears from her eyes, Iza stared at him in wonder. “It’s gone. It’s just you there, now.”

_Oh, dear._

Well, _that_ explained why he’d felt the need to dominate her so heavily. The void in her had been pulling him in; it likely had been pulling Anakin in as well, now that he thought about it. The girl was so damn desperate to have that part of her feel complete again that her Force energy had influenced him to seal it without him realizing it. A startling concept, really. The bond wouldn’t be much different than the deeper soul bond Anakin held within her, but he wasn’t quite sure how he felt knowing that the decision hadn’t been mutual. _Hell_ —the decision hadn’t even been consciously made on Iza’s part. But there was little he could do without pulling it free and risking another episode like the one in the hangar. They would simply just have to adjust to it, like everything else.

“Obi-Wan?”

“Shh, darling,” he kissed the spot between her eyes and let his lips linger there. “Don’t be frightened. It was the will of the Force.”

It was the only way he could explain it without making her feel as though she’d compelled him to fill that space against his will. The way she laughed dryly let him know she believed him about as much as he believed himself, but there was nothing to be done at this point. The hollow void her former Master had left in her was gone now and she would likely feel complete again— _as she should_. The only thing they needed to work on was, perhaps, getting a little more of Catcher’s bond into her to make things feel somewhat fairer. But this would have to wait; there were far more important things that needed to be taken care of. Some they were both sure they would be made aware of shortly.

For now, they would rest and let the bond settle.


	26. Life is Far Away From Fair

“What the _hell_ do you mean you’re not coming?” Iza stared between Obi-Wan and Anakin as she pulled her blacks on over her hips, a hard frown pulling at her lips. “I _need_ you!”

“Darling, we have our own business to take care of before we depart from the Order,” Obi-Wan said gently, handing her the top half of the body glove. He wasn’t surprised in the slightest when she snatched it from him, nor when she took a few steps back from him to pull it on over her head. “Please do not be upset. We will join you on Odran’oel as soon as we can.”

“I can’t… I can’t fucking _fly_ a gunship, Obi-Wan!” Waving a hand, she yanked the snug-fitting top on over her head and fussed with the pressure seal until the material molded itself to her skin. “I especially cannot fly a gunship through a fucking unstable asteroid belt!”

“You may borrow R4,” the older man offered, glancing over at Anakin when he noticed the younger man starting to twitch in his spot. He knew his partner would likely cave in and offer his assistance if Iza pouted hard enough, but they had things to attend to; he’d reminded the boy of that _multiple_ times. “And I’m sure Anakin would be willing to loan R2—”

“I don’t want your fucking astromechs!”

“Will you please mind your tongue?”

“Get fucked.” Grabbing the crate that held her armor, Iza started to storm out of the room when Anakin reached out to block her from leaving. “ _Now_ you want to say something? You don’t want to just stand there and look pretty?”

“Sweetness,” taking the crate from her, he set it aside and drew her into his arms with a heavy sigh. “I would go if I could. You know that.”

“Mm— _would you?_ ”

“Don’t be so nasty.” Frowning hard, Anakin brought his hands up to cup her face and swept his thumbs against her cheeks. “I understand you’re nervous, but these men were trained to fly through worse conditions. You’re in good hands.”

“We were supposed to do this _together_.” Shifting her gaze between the two of them, Iza clenched her teeth hard. “You won’t even tell me what it is you need to do.”

“Loose ends, darling.” Obi-Wan cut in, still eyeing Anakin warily. “Just some loose ends.”

“ _Loose ends, darling_ ,” she mocked, scowling as her eyes began to fill with tears. “You’re shutting me out. You _promised_ you wouldn’t do that shit anymore, Obi-Wan! You _swore_ on the bonds!”

Obi-Wan looked lost as he poked his tongue into his cheek and drew in a deep breath. He wasn’t sure how wise it would be to inform their little lover of where they were going and what they planned to do when they got there. She would likely feel as though she needed to be present for it and the situation was far too dangerous for her. It was part of the reason they’d kept it to themselves. The other part was simply because he did not need her saying anything to Catcher about it; the less anyone knew, the better.

“We are not shutting you out, my dear,” he said finally, casting a soft look in her direction. “This is just not something you need to be part of.”

“I’ll remember that.” Jerking her head out of Anakin’s grasp, the brunette stooped to pick up the crate again and growled when Obi-Wan shoved it aside with his foot. Gasping in surprise when he grabbed hold of her by the arms, Iza stared up at him with wide eyes as he glowered down at her, unsure if she ought to pull away or not.

“ _Stop_.” It wasn’t a suggestion as much as it was a direct order. He never put so much force behind his words when he spoke to her like that, but _damn_ —he meant business this time. “You must _stop_ this childish behavior, Iza. You cannot come with us and we cannot go with you. What we have to do is just as important as what you’re doing now, and twice as dangerous. It will be much easier to get it done all at once rather than in stages. You must stop behaving so foolishly and do this _on your own_. We cannot always be there to hold your hand.”

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin reached over and gently pried the older man’s fingers off of the brunette, watching as realization flickered across his face and settled into something like remorse.

“I’m—”

Iza didn’t let him finish as she waved a hand to sweep the crate closer and bent to grab it, turning on her heel to go. She stumbled over her own two feet on the way out, the armor rattling noisily in the crate as she hit the doorframe and tried to right herself before the first heavy sob left her. Behind her, Obi-Wan cussed under his breath and dragged his fingers through his hair, looking to Anakin for assistance. The younger man simply stared at him silently for a long moment before he shrugged and waved a hand like he didn’t know what to say. Rolling his eyes, Obi-Wan huffed and stalked after Iza, following the cold sensation of upset that lingered in the hall down to a storage closet. He wasn’t surprised that he had to use the Force to get the lock open, but the heavy panel of armor that flew past his head certainly startled him.

“Iza!”

“ _Shabuir!_ ” Oh, he really shouldn’t have taught her that word. “ _Ni'duraa!_ ” Or that one.

“ _Darling_ ,” dodging another panel, Obi-Wan stepped into the closet and tried to gather her into his arms, grunting when she all but clobbered him in the shoulder with one of her gauntlets. “Iza— _please_ ,”

“ _You’re_ _abandoning me!_ ” Dropping the gauntlet to the floor, Iza covered her face with her hands and twisted when he attempted to pull her close again. “You would sooner leave me to _die_ than tell me where you are going!”

“ _Iza,_ ” as much as he hated to do it, Obi-Wan felt himself reaching into the Force to still her and put an end to her struggling. He despised the wide-eyed look of terror she gave him when she realized she couldn’t move and as soon as he had her wrapped in his arms he released the paralyzing hold, startled when she struck him across the face.

“Don’t you… _ever_ … _how **dare** you!_” she spoke in a tone he’d never heard before and immediately, he knew what he’d done wrong.

“Darling,” the attempt to touch her face was thwarted by a sharp slap to his hand.

“ _Fuck you_.”

“I’m so sorry,” he tried to reach for her through the bond and found it blocked. She had every right to do that, he supposed. This was a boundary he should never have overstepped. “My love, I am… I am so sorry,”

“Get away from me,” she looked ready to hit him again and while Obi-Wan desperately wanted to explain and make sure she knew just how sorry he was, he felt it more important to let her feel safe. Dropping his arms from around her, he stepped back towards the door and watched her retreat to the other side of the closet, that heartbreaking look of fear still plain on her face.

“We’re going to kill the Chancellor,” the words fell from his tongue before he could stop them. Anakin would surely skin him alive, but he needed to give her _something_ to make amends for this. It likely would not earn her trust back immediately, but it might be a good start. He watched the way she flinched and saw about five different emotions flicker across her face before she settled on confusion.

“ _What?_ ”

“Before the war,” he spoke softly and slowly, carefully stooping to pick up the fallen pieces of her armor and place them back in the crate. “I was tipped off to the truth of the Republic being controlled by a Sith Lord. A foul man who calls himself _Darth Sidious_. I spent… a long time seeking this man’s true identity out and I’ve found it.”

“In the Chancellor?”

“I know how absurd it sounds, darling. I would not believe it if someone else told me either.” Smiling weakly, he turned his hands up. “I nearly did not believe it to begin with until...”

“Until _what?_ ”

“Until Anakin started _changing_.” Pressing his lips together tightly, the older man propped himself against a crate of rations and folded his arms. “The Chancellor took a great interest in Anakin when he was a teenager. Most of us brushed it off. The old man was... _grandfatherly_ , I suppose. And Anakin seemed to do well in his company. But I started noticing small things—things no one else would pick up on,”

“Because no one else knows him the way you do,” Iza eyed him warily, still not moving from her spot. “Because as his Master, you kept a proper eye on him.”

“In a sense, _yes_.” He let out a quiet laugh and tipped his head as he shrugged. “He also began to lash out at me after spending time with the man. He’d say things that didn’t make sense, accuse me of such… _absurd_ things. After his love affair with Padme ended and he went to the Chancellor for one of their meetings, he tried to put the blame on _me_ for the downfall. As though _I_ was the one he’d caught in bed with that girl.”

Iza couldn’t help the way she stared at him. She hadn’t known that was how things had ended between Anakin and Padme. Then again, she hadn’t _asked_. She hadn’t felt like it was her business to know unless Anakin wanted it to be her business.

“Before you ask,” Obi-Wan fixed her with a look. “That is _not_ why he Fell. That girl broke his heart and put him in a very dark place, but she did not have _that_ much hold on him. Thank the Force.”

“What made you realize the Chancellor was this… Darth Sidious?” Iza didn’t want to talk about Anakin and Padme. She always got a weird feeling in her chest when she thought about them together.

“Anakin began talking about strange things. Possessing powers beyond what a Jedi would normally strive for. He would ask me questions about the Sith—ask whether or not my darkness was a sign that I was being pulled towards something _greater_.” A funny look crossed Obi-Wan’s face as he lowered his gaze to the ground and snorted softly. “I found myself having to explain that the things he felt in my heart were just selfishness and jealousy. A need to possess something that was not mine to keep. There were other things, too. Pain—like his. Fury and fear, I suppose. Things that may have bordered on hatred. But I was not drawn to the fall because of the _Sith_.”

Iza wanted to press him to elaborate on that but there was something in his expression that advised her against that. Much like Anakin’s situation with Padme there were things in Obi-Wan’s past she felt were meant to stay hidden. If he chose to share them with her, then that was his decision to make.

“I began to realize that it was only after his visits with the Chancellor that he would bring these things up. So, I went back to the person who initially tipped me off and I asked them directly for confirmation. He, of course, gave me the fucki— _damn_ run around for hours until I agreed to let him mentor me.” Shaking his head like he was disgusted with himself, Obi-Wan frowned hard and ran a hand through his hair. “I refused any of the Sith teachings he attempted to give. I wanted none of it. But the Dark Side powers—those were useful, at least.”

“Obi-Wan,” Iza had calmed enough to get a little closer, if only because she was becoming more and more curious by the second. “ _Who_ was the man who tipped you off?”

“My former Master’s old Master.”

“I don’t… know who that is, my love.”

Obi-Wan laughed, sounding almost relieved that she was using terms of endearment again.

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t. I’d be surprised if you remembered much of Qui-Gon at all,” looking up at her, he smiled faintly and heaved a sigh. “Believe it or not, my Master trained under Count Dooku.”

“But Master Qui-Gon was so…” she couldn’t seem to find the right word as she waved a hand and stared at him in disbelief. “He was quite the gentle spirit, if I remember correctly. He was always very kind, if not a bit… _independent_ in his thinking. I remember liking him.”

“ _You would_ , darling,” poking his tongue into his cheek, the older man shot her a look. “The two of you would have gotten along like a house on fire, I think.”

“Go back to the part about Dooku,” putting her hands up as she moved closer, Iza propped her hip against a nearby crate and narrowed her eyes lightly. “He… just _told_ you about the Chancellor being a Sith Lord? Why?”

“He desires the power his Master possesses, darling,” he said it so casually, like she should’ve already had it figured out for herself. “You know the Sith can only operate in pairs. Dooku would like to take the place of this Sidious, it seems.”

“And take you as his apprentice?”

“Indeed.”

Letting out a weak, disbelieving laugh, Iza brought a hand to her mouth and just stared at him for a long time while she processed this. After a minute or two, her eyes widened and she drew back from him in horror.

“Did you know Ventress was going to—”

“ _No_ ,” Obi-Wan shook his head as he turned to her, looking very much like he wanted to cross the space between them and attempt to comfort her. “Darling, I never would have allowed you anywhere near that woman if I’d thought you’d be in danger.”

“You _didn’t_ want me near her, Obi-Wan,”

“For selfish reasons, my sweet,” hesitantly, he reached out across the top of the crate separating them and brushed his knuckles down her cheek, hating the way she flinched. “Asajj has never shown signs of that sort of immorality. I cannot say for certain, but it’s possible she was acting under the influence of her Master.”

“That man knows about me?”

“My darling,” his smile was brief and almost apologetic. “You’ve built yourself a reputation with the way you behave on the battleground. Count Dooku would certainly take notice of a Jedi Knight who can tear her way through droids the way that you do.”

“I will not associate with him.” She would put her foot down on that one. “You said—”

“You will not have to,” both hands came up to cup her face and he leaned over the top of the crate to kiss her forehead. “I made a promise and I intend to keep it. Neither you nor Anakin will be made to affiliate yourselves with Dooku. It was part of the deal I made with him that Anakin was to be left out of the terms of our agreement and you have been added alongside him.”

“And you trust him to uphold this?”

“Darling, a Sith that man may be, but he is also one who honors his word.” Noting that she still seemed skeptical, Obi-Wan smiled and gave her chin an affectionate pinch. “If it puts you at ease, he will not hold his position of power over me for long.”

“What are you going to do? Kill him too?”

“Precisely, darling.”

“I want in on it,” Iza looked him dead in the eye as she said it, holding his gaze for as long as she could before Obi-Wan let out a short laugh and kissed the end of her nose. “I’m not joking.”

“I know very well that you’re not, my sweet,” finally coming around the crate to tentatively pull her into his arms, the older man sighed quietly and rested his forehead to hers. “What reason would you have to murder the Count, hm? What harm has he brought to you?”

“Not me,” Iza let her fingers brush over his chest, twisting lightly in the material of his tabard. “The Clones. How many of them have fallen at the hands of that man’s awful droids?”

“My darling girl, I do so admire your loyalty to your men,” humming quietly, he stifled the second sigh that wanted to follow. “Please let me think about it. The Count is nothing to sneeze at.”

“Fine.” Well, that gave her the reassurance that they weren’t going to run off to kill the bastard as soon as the Chancellor was dead. But she was still extremely unsettled by the fact that she wasn’t allowed to help with that task, either. “Obi-Wan,”

“Iza, _darling_ ,” sitting down on the crate, he gingerly plucked her off of her feet and settled her on his lap. “You must _not_ fuss. We have a plan in place. Anakin and I will not be alone.”

“Will you be bringing the Count with you? Ventress, perhaps?” Asking her not to fuss was like asking Iza not to breathe. “Who in the hell—”

“Darling, you must focus on your own task.”

“ _How can I?_ ” Iza could feel her throat tightening as she pressed her lips together in a hard frown to keep her jaw steady. “You want to run off to kill a _Sith Lord_ and expect me to sit back and just—be _okay_ with the idea that you may get hurt? That you may not return to me?”

“And you wonder why we fret the way we do when you display such reckless behavior on the battlefield,” he smiled easily and swept the pad of his thumb across her cheek affectionately.

“I can’t let you go.”

“You will find you don’t have the power to stop us, my dear,”

“Don’t I?” Letting out a soft huff of a laugh, Iza tightened the hold she had on his tabard and gave it a weak little tug. “You would not even allow Anakin to speak to me in the other room because you know how much hold I have over him. If he gives in to me, you’ve no choice but to do the same.”

“Which is exactly why you cannot run pleading to him, Iza,” both hands came up to cradle her face so he could level their gazes, a very serious look settling into his features. “Listen to me, darling. Please do not interfere. We have worked very hard on this plan—long before you were in our lives the way you are now. I fear you would only be a distraction for both of us.”

“A _distraction?_ ”

“Do not take offense, my sweet girl,” he smiled softly and gave a single nudge of his forehead against hers. “We worry so much for your well-being as it is. To put you in that kind of danger—if anything were to happen…”

“You can’t go, sweetness,” Anakin’s firm tone startled them both, causing Obi-Wan to nearly topple from the crate as he twisted to look back at the younger man. Neither of them had sensed him coming, far too caught up in their conversation. Surveying them for a moment, Anakin stepped further into the closet and let the door slide shut behind him, folding his arms over his chest. “I’m sure Obi-Wan has told you enough for you to understand why.”

“If it’s so damn dangerous then why—”

“Don’t argue.” _Okay_. Iza couldn’t recall if she’d ever heard him use _that_ tone of voice before. Perhaps when he was trying to assert authority over her when she insisted on driving herself into the ground during a battle, but it hit differently when he was standing in front of her in the flesh.

“You think you can do this by yourselves?” Looking between them, Iza scoffed. “This is fucking—”

“I said—” the look on Anakin’s face was almost frightening as he stepped closer and reached out to take hold of her jaw, leaning in until their noses almost touched. “— _don’t. Argue._ ”

“Mind yourself, Anakin,” Obi-Wan warned, shooting his partner a look. “She is in no mood.”

“Neither am I.”

“I will not be made to break apart a fight. Settle down.”

“What makes you think you can do it?” Iza leaned up towards Anakin’s face in a challenging manner, fully ignoring the way Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and swore in frustration between them. “You believe yourself to be stronger than a Sith Lord, Anakin?”

“Sweetness,” his fingers trembled against the sides of her face as he fought the urge he had to tighten his grip. It would do no one any good if he lost his temper at her. “You have no idea how strong I am. You see what I’ve allowed you to see.”

“More secrets?” The smile on her lips was _nasty_. “Why am I not surprised?”

Without warning, his hand slid from her jaw to her neck and Obi-Wan was barely able to break them apart before he could even start to apply any pressure.

“ _Enough!_ ” Pushing Anakin back, he pointed to the door. “ _Out!_ You are letting her feed your anger, Anakin! And you—” turning his attention back to Iza, he scowled. “ _Stop instigating him._ ”

“Yes _Master_ ,” huffing at him, Iza turned away and waited until she heard the door slide shut before she made any attempts to climb down from Obi-Wan’s lap. Letting out a grunt when he held her back, the brunette turned to look at him and tried not to look impatient as he pinched her chin to tilt her head and check for signs that Anakin had been too rough. “I’m fine,”

“You’re a fucking menace, darling,” blowing out a breath as he worked his jaw and shook his head at her, Obi-Wan frowned and pressed a hard kiss to the side of her head. “The two of you— _honestly_ —like starship fuel and an open flame, you are.”

“I told you,” she shut her eyes and gave a light shrug. “I know exactly how much hold I have on him. I can twist it any way I want, too.”

“Do not tell me you did that on purpose,”

“I did not,” drawing in a deep breath, the brunette let it out in a slow sigh. “But perhaps my influence alone is enough of a reason not to go.”

“ _Now_ you understand,” chuckling lowly, Obi-Wan gave her another quick kiss. “You’re so very dangerous, my darling girl. For both of us.”

“I’ve yet to see where I have hold over you.” Tipping her head back to look at him, Iza knit her brows together lightly in thought. “You do not budge so easily, Obi-Wan.”

“One day, darling,” he brushed his knuckles against the curve of her jaw and gently nudged her out of his lap. “One day I will show you.”

“I do not know how I’m going to concentrate on this now,” picking up the crate that held her armor, Iza set it on top of another that sat nearby and started to pop the panels into place. “I’ll be too busy worrying about the two of you. I cannot believe—”

“Iza,” standing, Obi-Wan reached to take her by the hand and gave her fingers a kiss when she looked up at him. “Do you trust us, darling?”

“Of course,” she wasn’t sure how much she trusted the look in his eye, though. “Why?”

“Please forgive me, darling,”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” Iza barely had time to protest before the older man gave a quick flick of his fingers and rendered her fully unconscious. He caught her when she dropped in place, grunting when her head knocked against his chin. Blowing out a heavy breath, he lifted her into his arms and raised a foot to kick the door.

“ _Anakin_ ,”

The door slid open and the younger man stood with his hands tucked patiently behind his back. He looked a little uncomfortable at the sight of how limp Iza was in his partner’s arms, but reached out to take her from him regardless. Nodding towards the crate that held her armor, he cleared his throat.

“She will be cross when she wakes up,” he knew he didn’t need to tell the other man this. They’d already discussed what might happen if they’d needed to go down this path. “You better hope Catcher can handle her.”

“Catcher has an idea of what to expect,” tucking the crate beneath his arm, Obi-Wan waved for Anakin to start down the hall to the hangar. “He knows that if we bring her to him like this, he’s to put the Force cuffs on her and is—under no circumstances—allowed to remove them until they get to Odran’oel.”

“You expect him to obey your orders?”

“I’ve told him that it’s in Iza’s best interest that she remains cut off from the Force.”

“Unless there’s an emergency, correct?”

“Correct.”

Heaving a sigh as he adjusted the older woman in his arms, Anakin glanced down at her and shook his head with a soft tut.

“She’s so stubborn.”

“You chose her, Anakin,” smiling faintly, Obi-Wan cast a quick look at the other man.

“As you’re constantly reminding me,”

“Are you fucking _serious?_ ” Catcher sounded frustrated as he approached the two, one hand coming up to run through his dark hair before it dragged down his face. “ _Man_ —you realize you’ve just made my job twenty times harder?”

“I’ve done nothing of the sort,” Anakin passed the unconscious woman over to the Clone, jerking his head towards Obi-Wan. “He’s the one who did it.”

“I’m terribly sorry my friend, but your General simply would not stop her fussing,” Obi-Wan didn’t look bothered in the slightest as he led the way to one of the gunships to load up Iza’s armor. “I warned you that this may happen.”

“I would still love to know what it is you had to discuss with her that would force you to knock her out like this, Kenobi,” shaking his head as he carried Iza onto the ship—past the curious gazes of the other Stars—Catcher set her down across one of the bench seats and went for the cuffs hanging off his belt. “I’m not going to hold her back when she tries to wring your neck, you know.”

“She will understand, Catcher,” Anakin murmured, looking a bit unsure as he watched the man slip the cuffs around Iza’s wrists. He’d had his concerns about Obi-Wan’s plan as well, but he knew this was the better of the two solutions they’d come up with. Taking her with them was just too damn dangerous for everyone involved. Besides—they had a plan and they wouldn’t be alone. They couldn’t risk all of that going up in flames just because the girl couldn’t stand the idea of being left out of something.

“ _I_ barely understand,” shooting the other man a look as he locked the cuffs in place and gave a tug to make sure they stayed that way, Catcher rose to his fully height and pointed to Popper and Karver. “It’s your job to keep an eye on the General while she’s out. The minute she wakes up, you let me know.”

“Yes sir,” both men nodded sternly.

Turning back to Obi-Wan and Anakin, Catcher fixed them with a foul look and nudged past them to exit the gunship.

“You couldn’t let her get her damn armor on first, Kenobi?”

“Commander,” letting out an impatient sigh, Obi-Wan pushed the hair off of his forehead and signaled for Anakin to prepare for departure. “We are on a tight schedule, same as you. I’m sure Iza will not have qualms with you putting the rest of it on for her.”

“The chest plate is going to be a bitch with her arms bound like that.”

“You may remove the cuffs as long as you’re _sure_ she’s still unconscious.” Pausing, he mulled it over and turned a hand up. “If you’re worried about it, you can always request the sedatives from the medbay.”

“I have a syringe loaded in the kit already.” Shooting an irritated look at the older man, Catcher frowned hard. “Whatever it is you’re doing, I hope it’s worth what it’ll do to her if she loses you. Not that _you_ will have to worry about having to deal with that.”

“I assure you that we plan on returning to her.”

“And what am I supposed to do if you don’t?” Hazel-tinged brown eyes stared deep into Obi-Wan’s pale blue ones as Catcher propped his hands on his hips and scowled. “There’s not enough training in the galaxy to block off the kind of pain she’ll flood me with. Not to mention what will become of _her_. The two of you might be able to conveniently pretend you don’t feel it when you hurt her feelings—but I feel _everything._ Right down to the pitiful little pouty shit. If you two fucks don’t come back from wherever it is you’re going, it will kill us both.”

“That’s a bit dramatic, isn’t it?” Anakin sounded mildly amused as he strolled up with R2 and R4 in tow, gesturing for the astromechs to board the gunship Iza was currently occupying.

“You know her well enough to know it’s true, Skywalker,”

“Well then it’s a good thing we plan on coming back, Commander.” Eyeing the other man, Anakin smirked faintly and pointed after the droids. “They’ve both been instructed to keep her company if she rouses before your rendezvous with Captain Rex. If you would prefer not to be the one to sedate her, R2 is completely capable of—”

“Why would you send your astromechs with us?” Catcher looked confused. “Do you not need them?”

“Iza had some… anxieties about flying the gunship.” Obi-Wan shifted his gaze from Anakin to Catcher and smiled faintly. “The poor dear seems very stressed out about her mission in general.”

“I asked Slade to fly our gunship.” Pointing his thumb over his shoulder, the Clone made a face. “Iza is still in training with Skywalker. I wouldn’t let her anywhere near the flight controls if she used one of her little devil tricks on me.”

Anakin snorted, earning himself a sidelong glance from Obi-Wan before the older man cleared his throat.

“Be that as it may, she still seemed concerned. I have only been to Gol once and never to the surface, but if Captain Rex believes it to be safe enough for a pickup, then we’ve no choice but to trust him.”

“I think she wanted your company, Kenobi,” fixing the two with another hard look, Catcher gave a relenting sigh and turned his gaze elsewhere. “The two of you seem to put her at ease better than I can at times.”

“You’re familiar with the Runi technique at this point, right?”

“I am,” Catcher smirked and shook his head. “But I wouldn’t try it in front of the men. Not with the way she behaves.”

“You can perform it without bringing it to that level, Catcher,” folding his arms over his chest, Obi-Wan jerked his head at Anakin and waited for the younger man to walk off again before he continued. “Simply hold her hands and match your breathing with hers. It helps if she’s on your lap and facing away from you. You may not be able to go to the same place you see when you bond normally, but it will help to keep her calm.”

“Should I keep the cuffs on her?”

“You may only remove the cuffs when you’ve reached Odran’oel and you’re positive that she won’t try to run. You should still be able to bond with her while she’s got them on.”

“Master,” Anakin’s voice carried across the hangar and the older man heaved a sigh.

“I must go. _Please_ —whatever you do, Catcher. Do not take those cuffs off. Do not let any of your men take those cuffs off. We will come to the planet as soon as we are able to.”

“If you get yourselves killed, I’m going to let her do whatever she needs to in order to get her revenge,” Catcher warned, pointing a finger at him. “I mean it. If it means she slaughters every last innocent person she knows, I’ll let it happen.”

Obi-Wan let out a short laugh even though he looked absolutely horrified by the idea. Shaking his head, he started to cross the floor of the hangar and waved a hand at the Clone.

“I assure you, Catcher,” he shot the man a look and followed Anakin up the ramp of the starship. “It will not come to that.”

“You better hope not.” The other man muttered, watching the ramp fold up behind them. “You really fucking better hope not.”

~*~*~*~

Iza wasn’t sure what had been worse about waking up disoriented in the gunship; feeling queasy from whatever the hell she’d been shot up with, or the damn crick in her neck from the awkward angle she’d rested at for so long. At first, she’d been horribly confused. She couldn’t figure out how she’d gotten her armor on when she _distinctly_ remembered barely having gotten the damn thigh panels on before being knocked out. She also couldn’t figure out why, out of the entire crowd of Clones crammed in the ship, she couldn’t find Catcher’s signature. But when she’d tried to stand up from her seat and fallen flat on her face with her bound hands beneath her, she knew. _Someone_ had ordered her to be drugged and forced into these stupid fucking cuffs again. That someone was going to get a rather violent ass-kicking when she saw them again, too. Growling against the floor of the ship, Iza started to push herself up when a big hand grabbed her by the back of her armor and hauled her up.

“You’re all right, General,” Karver said a little too cheerily, smiling as he sat her back down in her seat. His smile faded a little at the hard look she shot him and he cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. “Er—can I get you something, sir?”

“Where…” she blew out a slow breath and shut her eyes against the nausea. “…the _fuck_ is Catcher?”

“Commander!”

“Yeah?”

“General’s up,”

Iza heard swearing from somewhere up front and cracked her lids when a soft, melodic beep sounded from beside her. It took her a moment before she recognized the astromech attempting to draw her attention and immediately, she brandished her wrists in front of it.

“Come on sweetie,” she smiled at Arfour and gave the cuffs a light rattle. “Get these off for me.”

Arfour chirruped and let out another soft series of beeps, her dome spinning lightly as though she were shaking her head.

“Why not?”

More beeping and a buzzing hum followed before the astromech bowed forward and gently touched her dome against Iza’s hands.

“What do you mean _Master said no?_ ”

“It means Kenobi told her to ignore you, sweetheart,” Catcher sounded amused and looked it when she picked her head up to look at him.

“I suppose he gave you the same order?” Huffing, Iza gave the top of Arfour’s dome a few affectionate pats before sinking back in her seat. “This is sithspit. Where are we?”

“We’ve made it to Gol. Just waiting for pickup,” moving to sit beside her, Catcher rested a tentative hand on her knee and leaned over, brushing his lips against her cheek. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. They brought you to me like this. I didn’t have a choice.”

“I know you didn’t, Catch,” frowning hard, Iza tilted her head against his and drew in a deep, shaky breath. “That _bastard_.”

“Little Bit,” he didn’t know if he ought to try bonding with her just yet. She seemed to still be gathering her bearings and he didn’t want to risk upsetting her further if he could help it.

“They’re going to die, Catch,” bringing her hands to her mouth, Iza shut her eyes against the tears that had gathered in them and tried to muffle the sob that followed. “I didn’t even… he didn’t even…”

Even with the cuffs in place, Catcher could feel the iciness of the heartache his lover felt as it seeped in along their bond and made his stomach clench. He wanted to ask where the two Dark Jedi had gone and what it was they’d had to do that might spell their demise. But he didn’t want to cause more pain. Instead, he carefully wound his arms around her and drew her into his lap, resting his chin on her shoulder while she continued to whimper into her palms.

“They wouldn’t let me go,” tilting her head against his, Iza blindly sought out Catcher’s hands and linked her tear-dampened fingers with his. “They wouldn’t let me help.”

“Little Bit,” he didn’t want to say the wrong thing and upset her further if he could help it. “Sweetheart, you have to trust that they know what they’re doing.”

Iza let out a laugh that was almost hysterical in nature, followed by a harsh sob that caused her to lurch forward in his lap and bury her face against his armored forearms. She spent a good few minutes bouncing back and forth between wailing and making that strange laughing sound before she finally sat up again and dropped her head back on his shoulder, gasping like a fish out of water. She gripped his fingers so tight he thought she might snap them and he was so startled by how bright her eyes were that he nearly dropped her. He didn’t know if she was losing her mind or if she was just _that_ upset and he didn’t have anyone around who could help him and tell him what was happening. He and just about everyone else on board nearly jumped out of their damn blacks when she drew in a deep breath and let it out in a scream that made even the astromechs go berserk. Artoo and Arfour began chirruping and beeping like crazy, zipping down the center aisle of the gunship towards the front where the communications console was.

Catcher could vaguely hear Slade shouting at them, but he was far too busy trying to get her to come back to herself. Pressing his head against hers firmly, he tried to center his palms against hers and cringed when she grit her teeth and growled at him viciously.

“ _Sweetheart_ ,” he squeezed his arms around her tighter and practically mashed his lips against the side of her head. “Iza, it’s all right.”

“Let me out,” she pleaded, trying to pull the cuffs apart. She was going to have the worst bruises on her wrists later, but that was the last thing on her mind.

“I can’t do that, Little Bit,” even if he hadn’t been ordered to keep her in them, he didn’t think he’d be able to release her while she was so worked up. “You know I can’t.”

“I can’t breathe in here,” Iza pulled against his hold, growling at him again when he refused to let her up. “ _Karver!_ ”

“Sir?” The Clone slowly came into view, eyeing her warily.

“Get him _off_ me,”

Behind her, Catcher shook his head and grunted when Iza tried to drive her elbows into his ribs. A hilarious thought, really. His armor would likely hurt _her_ before she managed to hurt _him_.

“Sir,” Karver’s eyes flicked nervously between his General and his Commander. “I’m not sure if— _hey!_ ”

Arfour chirped in annoyance as she rolled past the Clone with Artoo close behind. She wheeled herself to a stop in front of the struggling woman and seemed to wait while Iza gathered enough wit to acknowledge her presence. Once the human’s eyes had fixed upon her, she shot out a projection that filled the space of the gunship with a billion stars.

“ _Watch the stars, darling_ ,” Obi-Wan’s recorded voice oozed from Arfour’s loudspeaker.

The sound Iza let out was heavy and heartbreaking, but at least she’d stopped violently pulling at Catcher’s hold on her. Sinking back into his chest, she stared at the blue lights that swam around her, totally oblivious to Artoo as he rolled up beside the seat she and Catcher sat upon. The astromech opened a panel on his body and presented the Clone with a small syringe that the man hesitated to take. He didn’t want to drug her again if he didn’t have to, but it really seemed as though it was necessary. Taking the offered syringe, he rested his chin on her shoulder again and turned to kiss the side of her head.

“Take a deep breath for me, Little Bit,”

She knew. She knew what he was going to do and Iza knew she couldn’t fight him. Not without hurting him or hurting the men who were on board the gunship. Swallowing hard, she kept her eyes on the stars floating around her and inhaled deeply like he’d requested, whimpering at the sting of the needle against her neck. She sagged against his chest with a quiet sob when he withdrew it, feeling him litter soft kisses all over the side of her face as he sought her hands out again and gently laced their fingers together.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he whispered, fitting his palms against hers just right until he felt something warm begin to tingle in the centers. “I know it’s not fair.”

“I’m scared,” the scattered stars were blurring at the edges but Iza forced herself to stay awake and stay focused on them. She could feel her heartbeat slowing to a normal pace again until it began to match the rhythm of Catcher’s, her chest rising and falling in sync with each lungful of breath he took behind her. “They’re trying to… they’re gonna kill…”

“Little Bit,” tilting his head so his temple rested against hers, Catcher closed his eyes and tried to concentrate the way she’d taught him to when they bonded. “They will be all right.”

“I didn’t get to tell them…” _Force_ , she was tired. The stars were little more than bright blurs in her vision now and it was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open and focused. “…I love them so much, Catch.”

“I know, sweetheart.”

“And you,” giving the weakest nudge of her head, she thought she heard him snicker. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Little Bit.” His lips brushed against her jaw and she felt the rumble of his hum against her back. “Sleep, sweetheart. I promise everything will be the way it should be when you wake up.”

~*~*~*~

“What’s the story with the cuffs?” Rex asked as he watched Catcher carry Iza from the gunship onto the transport vessel. The woman was out cold, it seemed, and if the tired look on his brother’s face was anything to go by, it was probably better that way.

“Kenobi insisted. Trust me when I tell you that it’s necessary.” Snorting, Catcher stopped long enough to let the two astromechs run along in front of them, shaking his head at the droids with a muttered curse.

“And the astromechs?”

“Support.” Shifting Iza around in his arms with a grunt, the Commander gave light nods to the others as he passed them. “You got a room or something I can take her to?”

“Personal chambers are on the upper deck.” Rex pointed and frowned. “They’re reasonably clean but don’t expect anything you’d get on a Republic starship.”

“With all due respect Captain, I don’t think any of us are expecting anything like what we got from the Republic.” Letting out a whistle to draw Artoo and Arfour’s attention, Catcher jerked his head up towards the upper deck. “Go find a room with a bed.”

The droids chirped back at him in unison before turning to glide off to find the requested room. When they were gone, Catcher readjusted the unconscious woman once more and made a face.

“You have the coordinates for the compound, correct?”

“Roger that,”

“Have you seen it yet?”

“No,” Rex shook his head and stepped aside to let a group of Clones pass. “Have you?”

“I’ve seen the layout and the base design but she kept everything else pretty much a secret.” Shrugging, Catcher smirked faintly. “All I know about Odran’oel is that the place is neutral and isn’t known for much aside from scenery.”

“It’s a vacation planet,” the Captain explained, eyeballing his brother before holding his arms out. “Would you like me to take her?”

Catcher hesitated.

“I’ve got her. Thank you, sir,”

“You look ready to drop her, Commander,” the blond frowned and shot the other man a look. “At least set her down until the droids come back. She’s safe here.”

“I thought the same thing on the gunship.” Laughing dryly, Catcher looked around for somewhere to set the brunette and settled for a pile of nearby crates carrying Force knew what. Carefully laying her down on top of them, he propped her head against his side and ran his fingers through her hair. “Do you know anything about what Kenobi and Skywalker are up to, Captain?”

“All I know is that they went back to Coruscant. Aside from that, I know nothing.”

“Coruscant?” Making a face, the Clone snorted. “Who the hell would they have to kill on Coruscant?”

“ _Kill?_ ”

“She was babbling something,” waving a hand at Iza, Catcher sighed heavily. “She was so fucking hysterical. She’s been getting like this and I don’t know if it’s because of… the change, or what. But whenever they leave her, she just…”

“General Skywalker was like that at first,” Rex said quietly, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned up against the crates. “He would have these fits of rage whenever he had to be away from General Kenobi for long periods of time. I did what I could and kept the kid out on the battleground to give him an outlet. Not sure Kenobi appreciated it, but it kept him from throwing tantrums.”

“I can’t exactly throw her out onto a battlefield,” Catcher gestured to the brunette again. “All I have are Force cuffs and sedatives.”

“Well, hopefully you won’t need those things for very long.”

“If those two idiots get themselves killed, I don’t think they’ll be enough.”

“You really have no faith in them, do you?” Pursing his lips to stop a smirk, Rex sighed and clapped a hand down on his brother’s shoulder. “Listen to me, those two are some of the best in the business. Whatever it is they’re doing, _whoever_ it is they’ve gone to take care of—they’ll get the job done.” After a moment or so, the blond frowned hard. “Hey—what happened to Ahsoka?”

“The kid went back a few days ago. She didn’t want to be part of this.” Shrugging, Catcher turned his hand up. “Skywalker wasn’t going to force her into it, you know? He kept telling her it was _her choice_. He’s putting a lot of trust in that kid to not say anything.”

“They’re leaving the Order. It won’t matter.”

“I feel kind of bad for the girl, honestly. She seemed pretty attached to him. Real loyal.”

“I don’t think she’ll stay long. I’ve known Ahsoka for a while and that kid— _well_ , you said it best. She’s too loyal for her own good.” Smiling, Rex shrugged. “Not a bad trait to have, really.”

“She’s a bit young to fall, don’t you think?”

“They don’t always fall, Catcher. Some of them leave for other reasons.” Studying his brother for a long moment, the blond shook his head and laughed. “You’ve been sleeping with a Jedi for over a year and you don’t know a damn thing about them.”

“In all fairness, sir,” running his fingers through Iza’s hair, Catcher cast an affectionate look down at her. “She’s always been more of a soldier to me.”

“She certainly behaved like it.”

Nodding in agreement, both men fell silent for a few moments. Looking off into the distance to see where the astromechs had gone, Catcher soon found his attention being pulled to a Clone who was running up to Rex with a look of shock on his face. A strange chill ran up his spine at the expression, but it was the Captain who moved away from the crates first.

“Trooper,” Rex fixed the breathless man with a sharp look. “What’s the problem?”

“ _Sir_ ,” pointing behind him as he panted, the man tried to gather his thoughts. “It’s… it’s all over the HoloNet…”

“What? What’s going on?” Propping Iza’s head up with his palm, Catcher stepped up beside Rex and knit his brows in concern.

“The Chancellor,” the trooper gasped, still pointing. “He’s been assassinated… by the Jedi.”


	27. Love Will Tie the Tourniquet

“She’s going to kill us.” Anakin muttered as he limped around the starship to grab more bacta spray from where they kept the medical supplies. “That could have gone a lot smoother if you hadn’t _insisted_ on involving Master Windu.”

“Yes, well,” Obi-Wan was worse for wear as he sat slumped in the captain’s seat nursing various electric burns and a deep wound on his chest from where he’d been slashed at with a lightsaber. “Mace was the authority we needed, Anakin. He was also the scapegoat. I did not expect him to behave so… erratically.”

“Where the hell do you think _she_ gets it, Obi-Wan?” Coming over with the spray, the younger man knelt in front of the other and gestured for him to move his hands. The wound would likely scar no matter how much bacta he used—as would the equally brutal wound they’d patched on Anakin’s back—but at least they were alive. Tutting softly at the sight, Anakin drenched the area in the medical spray and looked up when Obi-Wan winced. “Sorry,”

“It’s all right,” waving his hand, the other man rubbed lightly at his bruised face and heaved a sigh. “Do you think they’ve made it to Odran’oel yet?”

“I was going to check in with Rex as soon as we finished getting patched up.”

“Perhaps it would be wise to do that now,” nodding towards the communications console Obi-Wan began reaching for the medical gauze to cover the disgusting mark on his chest. “I’m sure the news has already reached them.”

“Considering they were already broadcasting it all over the HoloNet when we were leaving, I guarantee it has.” Straightening, Anakin set the bacta in the empty seat and went to start the transmission.

“General Skywalker,” Rex sounded relieved to hear from his friend and looked equally relieved to see him when he popped on the holocomm. “We’ve been hoping you’d call. Are the rumors true, sir?”

“Which ones, Rex?” Leaning against the console, Anakin offered a tired smile and glanced over his shoulder when he heard Obi-Wan cuss quietly. “You all right?”

“I’m fine.” Obi-Wan waved his hand.

“The rumors of the Chancellor, sir,” Rex continued as though there hadn’t been an interruption. Good man; he always minded his own business unless he was dragged into someone else’s.

“Again— _which ones?_ ” Laughing as he ran his fingers through his hair, Anakin sighed softly and waved his hand. “The man is dead, Rex. It’s only a matter of time before the war ends, too.”

“Sir?”

“We’ll discuss details later,” Anakin tried not to upset the bruise that had formed under his eye as he rubbed his face. “Have you made it to the compound?”

“We’re nearly there, sir. And where are the two of you?”

“Uh—” he had to check. Leaning over to peek at the coordinates, Anakin whistled lowly and made a face. “We should arrive in… two, three standard hours?”

“How is Iza?” Obi-Wan called from his seat, glancing back over his shoulder.

“Asleep, sir,” Rex appeared to grimace. “Commander Catcher had a bit of an incident with her on her gunship and sedated her.”

“Cuffs are still on, right?”

“Yes sir,”

“Good,” blowing out a breath, Obi-Wan shook his head and shut his eyes. “See to it that they _stay_ on, Captain.”

“Roger that, sir.”

“Please let us know when you’ve reached Odran’oel. Or if she wakes up before then.” Anakin added, watching Rex smile faintly and nod.

“Of course, sir. Get some rest.”

Letting out a quiet laugh, Anakin only waved weakly in response before the transmission ended. Slumping against the console with a heavy sigh, the Dark Jedi put his head in his hands and groaned.

“Go lie down, Anakin.” Obi-Wan scolded gently, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “Rex is right. You need to get some rest.”

“I…” he wanted to argue. Anakin didn’t know how to describe the things he was feeling. He was exhausted and strangely sad, but also very alert and irritated at the same time. He had never tapped into the darkside the way he’d done during that fight and the aftermath was overwhelming. He thought that he’d been prepared; he and Obi-Wan had secretly been training for this for months. He’d increasingly begun to use darker powers when out on the battlefield whenever he didn’t have Ahsoka with him—he didn’t need her sensing those things and confronting him about them—and he thought he knew what to expect. What a fool he’d been.

“Anakin,” the older man’s voice sounded pained as he got to his feet and came over to gingerly rest his hand on his shoulder. “My dear, please,”

“Do you think she felt it, Obi-Wan?” Straightening, Anakin leaned into Obi-Wan when the other man’s arm went around his waist and he began to guide him towards the back of the ship.

“What are you talking about?”

Lifting his hand, Anakin brushed his fingers over the bandage on Obi-Wan’s chest and tilted his head.

“Do you think she felt it?”

One brow lifted high on Obi-Wan’s forehead as something like realization bled into his features, morphing into light concern before he shook his head and shrugged.

“I’m not sure, Anakin,” Coruscant was so far away from where Iza had been; their bonds with her were strong, but not strong enough to reach across an entire galaxy.

“I felt it.”

“I know you did, dear one,” helping him to sit down on the bed, Obi-Wan pressed a kiss to Anakin’s forehead and sighed into his hair. “I felt it too.”

Anakin let out a sound like a choked sob and wound his arms around Obi-Wan’s middle, pressing his face to his bared stomach. For a long time, they simply stayed that way; the younger of the two weeping silently while the elder ran his fingers soothingly through his hair. He knew. He knew very well how overwhelming it was to reach into that side of the Force when you were not fully prepared for the consequences. But Obi-Wan had been doing this for a long time now; he’d gotten past the point where the guilt and the sadness bothered him. It manifested in other ways and he supposed once he healed up, he would have to take it out on the sweet little woman who would be waiting for their arrival. Funny how he often scolded her for using sex as a way to cope with her feelings; perhaps he simply saw too much of himself in her at times and did what he wished someone would’ve done for him before it’d become a problem.

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin’s tight voice drew him out of his thoughts and he glanced down to find the younger man’s glassy blue eyes staring up at him.

“What is it, my love?” Brushing the tears off Anakin’s face, he smiled affectionately and laughed when the other man all but pouted and pulled at his waist. “ _Anakin_ ,”

“Just lay down with me,” he pleaded, sounding tired. “Please?”

Obi-Wan tutted and swept another stray tear from the younger man’s bruised cheek.

“All right. But only for a little while. Someone has to fly the ship.”

Nodding as he sniffled, Anakin pulled away to settle down along the bed, waiting for Obi-Wan to join him. He was careful when he rested his head against the older man’s shoulder, and smiled faintly when an arm was draped across his waist. He really didn’t expect the soft push of lips against his, but he accepted the kiss regardless. It served to sooth the turmoil still brewing within him, and warmed the places that had gone cold from overusing his darker abilities. The tinier kisses that followed were scattered over his nose and cheeks, encouraging him to close his eyes and sink into sleep. But it was the firm press of Obi-Wan’s forehead against his that truly calmed him enough to relax into the bed. He could only ever sleep so peacefully when bonded to the other man like that.

“Obi-Wan,” he knew he shouldn’t fight the overwhelming need to just pass out, but he couldn’t help it.

“Anakin, my dear,” another gentle kiss was placed upon Anakin’s lips before Obi-Wan nudged his head further into his. “ _Sleep_.”

~*~*~*~

Odran’oel was beautiful. Lush and green and near-tropical in climate with long stretches of beaches and high mountain ranges that spanned for miles around. The air was so fresh and sweet that it was dizzying when one was so used to the harsh pollution of Coruscant. The compound Iza had secured had once been a vacation resort; sprawling over a massive area, it was far beyond the expectations of everyone on board the transport vessel. Catcher wondered what she’d done to come into possession of it, and then decided it might be better not to ask. He had a bad feeling that there’d be mentions of _favors_ or other things that he’d rather not hear of. Regardless, the place was definitely large enough to house the amount of men they’d brought—and then some. If what Rex had said about the war ending soon was correct, they very well could be housing even more of their brothers in the coming months.

Iza had not yet stirred from her drug-induced slumber—which made Catcher wonder just what the _hell_ had been inside of the syringe Anakin’s astromech had given him—but he was able to guide the men into unloading the transport without her assistance. Really, it was a blessing to have Rex along for the ride. With as many men as they’d brought, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle them all by himself. He wasn’t sure _Iza_ would be able to handle them all, either. Things would likely get easier once Kenobi and Skywalker arrived, but if what Rex had said about Skywalker’s appearance was true, it might be a while before either of them could exert any sort of authority.

Catcher had been in the middle of helping to unload a crate of rations when one of the astromechs—the blue one with the irritating habit of cursing at him—came wheeling up, chirping and trilling at the top of its damn loudspeaker.

“You’re in the way,” he muttered, trying to side-step the droid. “What do you want?”

Artoo wiggled in place and beeped shrilly, sounding almost indignant. It took him a minute to figure out what the hell the damn thing was trying to say before he was setting the crate down and running off towards where he’d left Iza. The other astromech appeared to have trapped her in a corner with its electro-shock prod extended in a threatening manner to keep her in place. Iza looked disgruntled and confused as hell and Catcher had to wonder why she hadn’t just kicked the tin can over. He’d seen her boot mouse droids down hallways for less.

“Little Bit,” propping his hands on his hips, he couldn’t keep from laughing. “Are you _really_ letting that thing boss you around?”

Turning tired eyes towards her Commander, Iza frowned and threw her cuffed hands out towards Arfour.

“She’s Obi-Wan’s! I can’t hurt her!” The sound of the shock-prod made her flinch and Iza pulled her limbs in close. “Can you put that away, please?”

“Stand down, droid,” Catcher snickered, watching Arfour turn her dome towards him before she concealed the prod and backed away from the brunette with a soft chirp. Once she’d gotten out of the way, Catcher came over to help Iza to her feet, steadying her as she swayed. “Careful, sweetheart.”

“Where…” setting her head against his chest, Iza drew in a deep breath and shut her eyes. “Catcher, where are we?”

“Home, Little Bit,” he kissed the top of her head, one hand coming up to cradle the back of her neck. “We’re home.”

“The boys?”

“Your Stars or…?”

“ _My_ boys, Catch,”

“You would have to ask Captain Rex. He was the one who spoke to them. _Hey_ —” he really should’ve known she’d pull away from him like that, but it still startled him none the less. Following after her as she stumbled through the lobby of the refurbished hotel, Catcher reached out to slip his hand around her arm and grunted when she dodged him. “ _Little Bit_ ,”

“ _Rex!?_ ” Her voice echoed off of the empty walls, causing several heads to turn. None of them were the man she was looking for.

“Sweetheart, would you hold on a damn minute!” Grabbing her around the waist, Catcher hauled her back against him and pointed towards the open doors leading out into the courtyard. “He’s out there.”

Pulling against his hold, Iza huffed when he continued to hold her back.

“I swear to the Maker, Catch. I’m going to—”

“ _Settle down._ ” His voice was firm in her ear, the squeeze to her middle just as demanding. “I have almost two hundred men to mind, Iza. I cannot be running around after you, too.”

“Just let me talk to Rex!”

“He is just as busy as I am, Little Bit. You’re going to have to wait.”

“I am… the one in charge, Catcher,” clenching her teeth, the brunette absently pulled at the cuffs linking her wrists together and shot him a dark look. “I am still your fucking General.”

“And I am your Commander, sweetheart. It’s my duty to know when you’ve been compromised and you are in no state to be making any sort of demands.”

“I _have_ to know if they’re alive, Catcher!” Iza thrashed against him, her armor clashing noisily against his. “If you do not release me, so help me, I’m going to—”

“ _Really, sweetness?_ ”

The sound of Anakin’s voice echoing off the walls of the lobby had Iza drawing in a sharp breath while her knees buckled in shock. Letting out a soft wail at the sight of the two battle-worn men slowly coming into view in front of her, she nearly collapsed against Catcher in a fit of heavy sobs, arms covering her face to smother the sound.

“Darling,” Obi-Wan knelt in front of her to release the cuffs from her wrists and collect her from Catcher’s hold, trying not to wince when she clung to him and buried her face against his shoulder. He didn’t have the heart to tell her to mind his wounds and he shot Anakin a look of warning when he felt the younger man brush up against his side and reach to try and pull her back. “Leave her be,”

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” the taller of the two hissed, looking concerned.

“I’m fine, Anakin,” he grunted when Iza blindly began reaching out and hauled Anakin into the embrace, letting out a quiet laugh and casting a look at Catcher over the top of her head. “How has she been?”

Catcher waved a hand.

“It’s been a lot of this,” he murmured with a shrug. Turning to Anakin, he frowned. “What the _hell_ did you load your astromech up with, Skywalker?”

“Same thing they give her at the medbay. Why?” Hissing through his teeth when Iza’s tugging pulled his robes painfully tight against the wound on his back, he reached down and gently pried her fingers free from the material. “Easy, sweetness.”

“She’s been out for hours,” gesturing, Catcher frowned harder and eyed the two. “Is it true? About the Chancellor?”

“You’re the tenth person to ask us that since we got here,” Anakin chuckled and sighed quietly. “It’s true.”

“You’re hurt,” Iza whimpered as she leaned away from Obi-Wan’s chest, looking between them both as if she’d just noticed the bruising on their faces. A pained look crossed her features before she was gasping sharply as though she’d been burned, eyes widening in shock as her hands flew to try and get the panels of her chestplate off.

“ _Darling_ ,” Obi-Wan’s hands came up to cradle the sides of her face, forehead resting gingerly against hers. “It’s in your head. You’re all right.”

“It burns,” her hands dragged over the front of her armor, fingers shaking horribly. “On the gunship… I felt…”

“Shh,” he drew her in for a light kiss and swept the pads of his thumbs against her cheeks. “Everything is all right. We’re safe. _You’re_ safe.”

“Is there a room or somewhere we can take her?” Anakin asked, looking over at Catcher.

“Take your pick,” waving a hand, Catcher couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from the brunette. If these two had been deeply injured during that fight and Iza had somehow been able to feel it, it certainly explained some of her behavior on the gunship. Perhaps not _all_ of it, but definitely _some_ of it. “Most of us are taking the rooms near the outer edge of the compound. The upper levels haven’t been claimed yet. I think she was saving the main building for… well, _us_.”

“All of us,” Iza breathed absently, reaching to take hold of Obi-Wan’s wrists. “ _Our_ home.”

“Yes, my love,” Obi-Wan kissed the middle of her forehead and glanced up at the Clone who still watched them carefully. “ _Our_ home.”

Catcher knew. He’d known when Iza drilled it into his skull that the four of them would share living space once they got to this place. There would be no arguments over it, although she’d assured him that he would be allowed to have a room of his own if he wanted it. Provided that there _were_ enough rooms for him to have one of his own. He wasn’t even sure of how many private lodgings there were on the property; he hadn’t bothered asking Rex yet. He wouldn’t take a room from one of his brothers if he didn’t absolutely have to.

“Are there keys? Passcards?” Anakin, while warmed by the idea that everyone seemed to accept the living situation, was quite impatient.

“Artoo,” pulling back from Obi-Wan, Iza looked around in a light daze and whistled sharply through her teeth. It took about three seconds before the astromech came rolling around the corner with Arfour in tow, who chirped and seemed to wriggle in excitement at the sight of her master.

“Hello Arfour,” giving an affectionate pat to the top of her dome, Obi-Wan chuckled lowly and watched as Iza crouched in front of Artoo.

“Have you unlocked the upper levels?” She asked quietly, raising an eyebrow and getting a solid set of beeps in response. “Okay, well can I have the data cards, please?”

The astromech trilled a few times as his dome spun from side to side, causing Iza to frown hard and huff.

“I don’t know what that means. Anakin, what does that mean?”

“He says data cards aren’t necessary,” smirking faintly, he nudged her shoulder to get her to rise to her full height again. “We can reset the doors on the upper levels to open with retinal or print scanners.”

“That’s not going to work,” scoffing, Iza waved a hand. “Literally everyone and their brother has Catcher’s fingerprints and his eyes.”

“Darling, we will figure something out.” Resting his hand on her lower back, Obi-Wan looked as though he was trying not to laugh. “We can always replace the locks.”

“ _I suppose_.”

“Artoo, can the doors be opened right now?” Anakin raised an eyebrow and got a few soft chirps in return. Waving his hand before patting the top of the droid’s dome, he shot Iza a look. “We can go upstairs, sweetness.”

“What about—”

“I have work to do, Little Bit,” Catcher leaned over and stole a quick kiss and gently knocked his head against hers. “ _Go_. I will come up and check on you when I know it’s safe to do so.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Making a face at him, Iza nudged her head into his in return and grumbled when he stole another kiss and snickered at her.

“ _You know what it means, Little Bit_.” Giving her a look, he nuzzled his nose across hers and nudged her closer to Obi-Wan. “Be gentle with them. They’re injured.”

“I’m not gonna—”

“Uh-huh. Just like we never do when _you’re_ injured, right?”

“ _Catcher_ ,”

“Go, sweetheart. Take care of them. They need you.” Catcher gave her chin an affectionate pinch before nodding to the other two and making his exit. Before she could even say anything, Iza found herself being swept towards the stairs with Anakin at the lead and Obi-Wan holding tight to her waist. She didn’t argue and instead, leaned into his side while they climbed up to the second level of the building and made their way down to a room closed off by double doors. The youngest of the trio got them open without fuss, stopping long enough to wait for his companions and wave them inside.

“ _Maker_ ,” Iza stared in wonder at the interior of the room, completely in awe with the fact that it had once served as a resort suite and not some sort of palace. This _had_ to be the place where only the highest paying customers had stayed. She’d have to talk to her contact and ask. What surprised her most was how clean the place was. She’d fully expected to come into the compound having to scrub the whole place from top to bottom, but it was almost as though someone had come through and done it for her. They likely had, now that she thought about it. With what she’d paid and what she’d had to promise in order to secure it so quickly, she sure as hell hoped they’d at least _dusted_ something.

“Darling,” Obi-Wan sounded a little uneasy as he spoke. “Just… how did you come into possession of this place?”

“Won it,” it wasn’t a _complete_ lie; it’d been _part_ of a gambler’s pot, just not one _she’d_ won directly. But _her_ credits and _her_ Force abilities had earned it for her, so it definitely could count as _her_ winnings.

“From _who?_ ” Anakin looked just as startled by the size of the room they’d stepped into. It was like walking into one of the rooms back at the Jedi Temple.

“Guy at a bar,” she shrugged and pulled away long enough to wave her hand beneath the tap of a nearby sink, surprised when the water turned on and ran clear. _Well_ —she supposed if the electricity worked, it only made sense that the plumbing worked too.

“You don’t gamble.”

“Shows how much _you_ know,” snorting, Iza shot Anakin a look and flicked some of the water in his direction. “I do quite a lot of things when I’m incredibly drunk.”

“Yes you do,” amused, Obi-Wan drew her close and sighed quietly as he leaned down to rest his forehead to hers with a soft hum, hands coming up to cradle the back of her head. “Are you terribly upset with me, darling?”

“For what? Knocking me unconscious before I could object, or for ordering Arfour to treat me as a prisoner?”

“Did she misbehave?” Obi-Wan tutted and chuckled, kissing the end of her nose. “I did ask her not to let you free from those cuffs.”

“She cornered me with her electro-shock prod.” Pouting, Iza carefully set her hands on his hips, unsure of where he was injured or how badly. She knew for certain that she needed to avoid his chest—or perhaps that was _Anakin’s_ chest? Someone’s chest was burning, and someone else’s back carried that same vicious tingling. She was still so damn addled from the drugs that she couldn’t figure out which bond was broadcasting which painful sensation.

“Did she?” An amused smile stirred the corners of his lips and he looked as though he was trying desperately not to laugh. “That was not my doing, my dear, I assure you.”

“Can I see?” Pressing a soft kiss to his lips, Iza gave a light tug to his robes and tried her hardest not to poke her lip out at him.

“ _Darling_ ,” letting out a heavy breath, Obi-Wan turned his gaze towards Anakin, who watched them from where he stood propped against a counter. The younger man said nothing as he began to undo his belt and sash, the tabard coming off next before he began shedding the outer robe and was left in just the dark tunic and trousers. Carefully, he pulled it off over his head with a hiss of pain and tossed it to the side, moving to sit on the corner of the nearby couch.

“ _Oh_ ,” letting her hands fall away from Obi-Wan when she saw the bandage spread across his back, Iza almost tripped on herself trying to get to him, tearing the gloves from her hands and tossing them to the floor before she rested her bare fingers against his shoulders. “ _Cyar’ika_ ,”

“It’s not that deep,” he forced a smile and glanced over his shoulder towards Obi-Wan. “His is worse,”

“ _Anakin_ ,” it was hard to tell whether Obi-Wan’s tone was threatening or scolding or in disbelief of the idea that either of their wounds was _worse_ than the other. They were both quite deep and painful and had either of them not been as careful as they were, they would’ve been damn lethal to boot. Cuts from a lightsaber were not something to sneeze at, after all. Watching the way Iza turned to look back at him with those worried eyes of hers the older man relented and began shedding his layers as well. Her soft sound of distress and the heavy _clunk_ of her armored knees hitting the floor caused a pang of guilt in his belly. The sensation was followed by an odd tug behind his navel and Obi-Wan found himself being urged forward while Iza stared up at him with tears beginning to fill her eyes.

“ _Force_ …” shifting her gaze between the two of them, she sucked in a sharp breath and blindly began searching for the release button on her chestplate. Letting out a whine when she couldn’t seem to find it, she grit her teeth and began tugging at the shoulders, prompting Anakin to lean over and press the release to help. Once she’d gotten the shell off she tossed it noisily to the side and breathed in deep, heaving gasps, looking as though she might be sick.

“Sweetness?” Sliding off of the couch to settle beside her, Anakin frowned and brushed his knuckles down the side of her face, jerking his hand back when she flinched away from the touch. “ _Iza?_ ”

“I thought I lost you,” she did her best to try and steady her breathing before she spoke, but it was no use. “Everything just started to burn and then… I felt nothing.” Shaking her head, Iza swallowed hard against the tightness in her throat, unable to stop her jaw when it wobbled. “Arfour showed me the stars. She showed me the stars and I heard your voice and… I thought it was over. I didn’t know where I was when I woke up. I couldn’t feel you. I couldn’t feel anything. The _fucking_ cuffs…”

“Darling,” crouching in front of her, Obi-Wan rested his hands on her thighs and silently urged her to look at him. When she refused, he leaned in and settled his head against hers. “You mustn’t dwell on those things.”

“I want to _see_ ,” the demand in her tone was thick and firm and both men knew there would be no refusing this time around. She would eventually be made aware of the damage done, after all.

“You first,” Anakin muttered, moving to stand and grab his outer robe. “I’m going to get the medical supplies from the starship.”

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,” Iza reached out and brushed her fingers against his leg, watching as he turned and looked down at her for a moment before a smile briefly lifted the corners of his mouth.

“I’ll only be gone for a few moments, sweetness,” taking her hand, he bent with a pained wince and kissed her knuckles. “I’ll let you fuss as much as you want when I get back.”

“Will you…” she hesitated and barely spared a glance in Obi-Wan’s direction. “…speak with Slade?”

Anakin’s face broke out in a wide, secret grin as he huffed out a quiet laugh and nodded.

“I will. I think we both deserve it.” Giving her fingers another quick squeeze, he let go and righted himself before slowly walking out of the lavish room.

“What in blazes does _that_ mean?” Obi-Wan asked when the doors had closed behind Anakin.

“You mustn’t be upset,” Iza brought her hands up to touch his face, though her eyes remained fixed on his bandaged chest. She found she couldn’t finish her train of thought as she leaned in to rest her head to his once again and let her fingers trail down the sides of his neck, skimming across his bruised collarbones and over the edges of the bandage. She flinched a little like it hurt to get close to the wound, pressing her lips together tight when he kissed her forehead.

“Iza my dear,” Obi-Wan whispered, nuzzling at her hair. “I’m worried. I can already feel how distressed you are.”

“Let me help you,” she murmured back, hesitating before she began to carefully peel back the bandage with shaking fingers. She was terrified of what she’d find beneath it; she’d seen what a lightsaber could do to someone’s skin and while she could smell the distinct scent of pineapple in the air, she highly doubted that the bacta would’ve done much yet. “Please let me—”

“I cannot, darling,” he watched her with curious eyes, fully prepared to console her when she inevitably lost her composure at the sight of the wound. “You do not have the energy to spare for such a task. Especially not for both of us.”

“I’ve done nothing but sleep,” the skin was getting redder and strangely _glossy_ the closer she got to the wound. There were blisters and blackened bits around the edge of the nasty laceration that—had it been any deeper—would likely have carved straight through his ribcage. She felt dizzy as her eyes trailed along the length of it, noting that it had to be about as long as her forearm and about as wide as her thumb at its deepest point. The bacta had certainly cleaned it up and perhaps made it marginally less offensive to the eyes, but Iza still felt something inside of her shatter at the sight of it. “I should have gone.”

“ _No_ ,” both hands cupped the underside of her jaw and lifted her head to level their gazes. “Darling, we discussed this. You would only have served to be a distraction. Something much worse would have happened.”

He couldn’t tell if she was nodding or trembling as she stared at him with horrified eyes that were positively drowning in tears. She was breathing so erratically that he worried she might pass out, but Obi-Wan was at a loss for what to do for her. He flinched when he became aware of a faint sensation of warmth in his chest, looking down to find her hands hovering over the wound.

“ _Iza_ —”

“Please,” the bubble of tears in her eyes broke and streaked down the sides of her face and that warmth began to spread along the depth of the wound, easing some of the sting and causing an even _stranger_ tingle in his skin. “Just let me take the pain away.”

Obi-Wan felt as though he had no choice but to relent. Letting out a heavy sigh, he bowed his head to rest it against hers and gave a single nod.

“You may,” he closed his eyes and tried to focus on something other than the anxiety he felt knowing that she’d been made aware of their agony, no matter how brief it’d been. Perhaps, in their moment of weakness, he and Anakin had unknowingly broadcasted their pain into the bonds and the Force had carried it to her for a reason. It was something Qui-Gon would’ve believed, now that he was truly thinking about it.

“Is that better?”

Iza had startled him a bit when she spoke. Obi-Wan had sunk himself so deep into his thoughts that he’d started meditating without realizing it. The gentle warmth she’d projected onto his chest had been so soft and comforting as well; he hadn’t been able to help drifting a little bit. Blinking at her, he leaned back and took a moment to realize that the heavy burning was no longer there. Glancing downward, he saw she’d stayed as true to her word as she could and refrained from healing the wound _too_ much. The edges looked cleaner and he was sure the gash had been deeper before. But he couldn’t scold her for it; it would be terribly cruel of him to do so.

“Yes, my darling,” smiling easily, he pressed a light kiss to her lips and sighed. “That is much better.”

“I’m glad.” Resting her hands on his arms, Iza took a few deep breaths and fought back the urge she had to nestle into him. She was more than happy to let him tuck his head against her shoulder, however. Turning to brush her lips over his ear, she shut her eyes again and raised a hand to brush her fingers through his hair. “I wish you had given me a chance to say _I love you_.”

“It would only have put more anxiety into us, darling,” shifting around, Obi-Wan turned and settled himself across her lap with his back against her chest. Both the floor and the armor on her thighs were unforgiving, but he was exhausted. He cared not whether he was comfortable. “Besides—we knew. We always know.”

“Would you like to lie down on the sofa, love?” Giving him a look, Iza raised an eyebrow. “Anakin will return soon and I think you’d rest better somewhere _not_ on the floor.”

“A solid surface is good for one’s spine.” Smiling up at her, Obi-Wan cringed a bit as he sat up again and blew out a breath. “But if it will put you at ease, I will lie down on the sofa.”

Bracing her palms against his back to help him as he stood, Iza followed slowly and watched him while he made his way over to the sofa. Absently, she began popping the different panels of her armor off, tossing them where her chestpiece sat until she had to bend to remove her boots. She’d been in the middle of setting them aside when the distinct smell of cigarette smoke wafted into her nostrils and she had to press her lips together tightly to stop a smile.

“ _That boy_ ,” she heard Obi-Wan mutter from where he’d stretched out along the sofa. “I swear,”

“Obi-Wan, don’t scold him,” watching the older man turn his head to look at her, Iza tried not to appear as sheepish as she felt. “I asked him to.”

“You _asked_ him?”

“She likes the smell,” coming in through the doors with a half smoked cigarette parked between his teeth, Anakin smirked faintly around the filter and shook his head. “Sorry that took so long. Slade _insisted_ on making sure I wasn’t going to waste it. I wonder why?”

“Quiet,” eyeing him, she straightened and held her hands out to take the box of medical supplies from him, frowning when he held them out of her reach. “Anakin,”

“Be patient,” shrugging out of his robe, he blew a soft plume of smoke from the corner of his mouth and set the box aside before draping the piece of clothing around her shoulders. “Another for your _collection_.”

“Will you at least open the blasted window?” Crinkling his nose, Obi-Wan scowled up at the two and sat up. Both of them stared back at him with their brows raised high on their foreheads, but Iza was the one who moved away to get one of the large windows unlocked and opened. When she turned back, Obi-Wan was on his feet and had snatched the smoldering cigarette from Anakin. He’d been in the middle of taking a deep drag of it when he realized she’d caught him and his eyes went a bit wide before smoke began streaming from his nostrils. Passing it back to Anakin, a flustered sort of expression crossed his face and he dropped back onto the sofa, avoiding the surprised gaze of the younger woman.

“ _Master Kenobi_.”

 _Now_ he had to avoid her gaze and keep himself from smiling. What a damn nightmare. Clearing his throat, he straightened himself as much as he could and finally looked over as though nothing had happened at all.

“Yes, my darling?”

“Why have I never smelled it on you?” She sounded more curious than accusing.

“It’s that damn linen soap he uses,” Anakin muttered, moving to sit on the other side of the sofa. He set the box of supplies down on the table just in front of him and looked up at Iza with a soft grin. “It overpowers everything, sweetness.”

“I see,” sliding her arms into the sleeves of Anakin’s too-big robe, the brunette looked between them and settled her gaze on the younger man. Watching as he sighed heavily and flicked the ash from the end of the cigarette onto the knee of his trousers, Iza waited for him to wave her over before she moved from her spot.

“You’ll have to take the bandage off yourself, sweetness,” he said quietly, turning in his seat so his back faced her when she sat down. “Or you can have him do it.”

“I’ll do it,” she waved a hand to keep Obi-Wan from even attempting it. It didn’t seem to stop him from laying a restraining hand over hers before she had a chance to start peeling back the adhesive around the edge of the bandage.

“Iza,” the older man’s voice was soft in her ear and she felt him breathe a gentle sigh against her neck. “Darling, are you sure?”

Turning to look at him—startled—Iza raised an eyebrow.

“How bad is it?” She asked, noting the way Anakin seemed to chuckle while Obi-Wan frowned at the back of his head. A disgruntled sort of noise left the eldest of the trio before he turned his eyes back to the brunette, lifting a hand away from hers to brush the hair away from her face.

“It’s quite unpleasant to look at, my sweet,” briefly, his eyes shifted to Anakin. “He may behave as though my wound is the worse of the two, but—”

“I can take the bandage off if you want,” Anakin said plainly, popping the cigarette between his teeth before he started to reach up behind him with a soft growl of pain. His fingertips brushed the edge of the bandage sealed against his lower back and Iza reached out to grab them.

“ _Stop_ ,” she leaned forward and pressed her face to the back of his neck, squeezing his fingers and swallowing hard. “ _Cyar’ika_ , don’t make light of this.”

“It’s not fun being on the other end, is it sweetness?” he was using that damn flat tone of his and she wanted to hit him for it. Tipping his head back to rest it against hers, he exhaled harshly and shrugged one of his shoulders.

“You’re cruel,” Iza murmured into his skin, loosening her hold on his hands only to have him slide his fingers in between the spaces of hers. “I would never downplay a lightsaber wound, Anakin,”

“Just broken bones and blaster burns?”

“I know what my body can take,”

“And I know what _mine_ can take, sweetness.” Shaking the fingers of his cybernetic hand free, he held it up. “Nothing could ever be more physically painful than this.”

Iza felt it unfair to argue against that. She only knew the pain of plasma burns and broken bones and shrapnel when it buried deep inside of her skin. She couldn’t imagine what it felt like to have a whole limb removed with a lightsaber—or _at all_ for that matter. She’d had the entire right side of her face shattered when she’d gone berserk and dismantled the commando and she barely remembered what it felt like; all that was left was the scar that had been dug out of her cheek by the droid. Well—that and some extremely horrific images that often flickered through her dreams at night after the incident.

“Hey,” he tilted his head again to lightly knock it against hers and bring her back to the present. “It’s not a contest. I just don’t want you saying anything ridiculous about how you should’ve been there to help. You couldn’t have prevented this, Iza. I’m sure Obi-Wan has told you that.”

“You said I could fuss as much as I wanted,” she reminded him, smiling weakly. This made Anakin laugh and shake his head as he took the cigarette from between his lips and pinched it out between his fingers. Blowing the smoke out in a heavy sigh, he tossed the filter onto the table and reached up behind him to gently brush a crooked finger beneath her chin.

“I _did_ say that, didn’t I?” Humming, he turned his hand up. “All right. Have at it, sweetness,”

Waiting for him to lean forward again, Iza did her best to brace herself as she brought her hands back up to the top of the bandage and gingerly began to peel the adhesive away from his skin. As soon as his lightly tanned skin darkened into the same angry red Obi-Wan’s had been and the same nasty blisters began revealing themselves, Iza felt her head spin again. The wound was just as deep as the one on Obi-Wan’s chest, but it nearly spanned the length of Anakin’s entire back from his right shoulder down to the center of his lower back. Wide and ugly and black around the edges, the laceration dragged in a straight sweep with the most curious flick near his shoulder. The strike had been made in an upward motion, unlike the one on Obi-Wan’s chest, and the flourish at the end was almost like a signature. One she recognized with a hard roll of her stomach.

“ _Mace_ ,” her former master’s name escaped in a snarl and she felt Obi-Wan settle his hands on her hips from behind.

“Darling,” he hesitated over whether to try and pull her away from Anakin. It was hard to tell just how she was feeling with the way her emotions kept flip flopping, but he didn’t want her to get too angry and accidentally hurt the younger man. “Calm yourself,”

“I’m calm,” she felt like killing something— _someone_. Her hands were as gentle as ever as she finished removing the bandage and hovered them over the wound, taking a deep breath and focusing as much of her energy into taking the pain from Anakin as she could. She pulled from the vicious anger that bubbled in her chest and felt her head grow even lighter. In front of her, Anakin groaned low but made no attempts to move out from beneath her palms. After a few moments, Iza dropped her hands and simply sat there, staring at the mark. Like the one on Obi-Wan’s chest, she’d given it a little nudge to heal it but hadn’t healed it completely simply so she wouldn’t have to listen to either of them complain about her wasting her energy. Another handful of minutes passed before she got to her feet and walked away from the couch, acutely aware of the blue eyes that followed her.

Dazed, gold hued eyes wandered around the space of the room and settled on an ugly statuette sitting on a nearby table. It was some crudely sculpted thing she supposed was meant to look like one of the local animals. It was hideous. She hated it. She didn’t want it in her home. Closing shaking fingers over it, Iza squeezed until she felt one of the limbs of the animal snap and heard it fall to the floor where it crumbled into several pieces. Someone said something behind her but their words were gibberish to her ears. Her heart was pounding too quick, too hard; the blood rushing through her veins was the only thing she could hear. It pulsed heavily until the rhythm seemed to speak to her, chanting a single name:

 _Mace_.

Mace had caused harm to Anakin—likely caused harm to Obi-Wan, too. She knew the careless stroke of his lightsaber strikes. She’d spent hours— _days_ and _weeks_ —memorizing them. She would know the mark of her Master _anywhere_. But what she _didn’t_ know was _why_. Why had he been there? Why would he have turned his blade against Anakin and Obi-Wan when they had a common enemy in the Chancellor? _Why?_

“Iza,”

Pitching the ugly statuette across the room with a scream that came from somewhere deep inside of her chest, Iza watched it shatter against the adjacent wall and send pieces flying every which way. It wasn’t enough. She needed to break something else, _destroy_ something else. Instinctively, her hand went to her waist for her lightsaber and she frowned in confusion when she realized it wasn’t there. _Catcher_. Catcher had the damn thing downstairs somewhere. Turning like she intended to go find him, Iza jerked to a dead stop at the hard pull behind her navel and grit her teeth.

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,”

“Darling,” getting up from the sofa, the older man approached her cautiously, keeping a fair amount of distance in between them as he walked around into her line of sight. He seemed to flinch at the look in her eye before he held his hand out to her and softened his features. “You must listen to me,”

“I’m going to kill him,” he believed her when she said it. Obi-Wan believed with everything in him that if he released her, Iza would find a way to steal one of the gunships aboard the transport vessel and go kill her former master. He couldn’t let her do that. Thank _goodness_ the girl didn’t have her lightsaber.

“Iza,” Anakin had gotten to his feet now and strolled slowly up behind her, carefully sliding his arm around her shoulders. “ _No_.”

“He hurt you,”

“It was a mistake.”

“ _A_ _mistake?!_ ” Twisting, she stared at him with wide eyes. “What kind of fucking _mistake_ —”

“He believed us to be working with the Chancellor,” Obi-Wan cut in, his tone sharper than before. “We had asked for his assistance. Given him the information we had on Palpatine. The three of us went in there together as comrades, darling. But…”

“ _But?_ ”

“I spoke to you of Palpatine’s influence over Anakin,” Obi-Wan tried desperately not to look at Anakin. “The man tried playing tricks with his head. Caused him to strike out at us. At me.”

Iza covered her mouth with the back of her hand as the need to vomit returned. Anakin didn’t seem to want to look at her even as he held her shoulders to keep her standing. She could feel the shame radiating off of him in heavy waves and it made her even sicker.

“It was an act of defense on my behalf, darling,” the older man continued, coming over to brace his hands against her back. “One that cost him a great deal.”

“I took his hand,” Anakin sounded numb when he spoke and he wouldn’t look at either of his lovers. “And then we took the Chancellor’s head.”

Iza felt faint as she stood there trying to absorb all of the information. She kept circling back to the idea that the wound on Obi-Wan’s chest had been made not by Master Windu’s blade, but _Anakin’s_. The thought that the younger man had been lulled into attacking him so viciously brought bile creeping up her throat and Iza broke away from both of them without warning, rushing to the nearby sink to be sick. Her knuckles went white as she gripped the edges of the counter and heaved into the metal basin, gasping when the tap went on automatically and began soaking her hair with cold water. A hand settled against her back and rubbed slowly until her stomach stopped its violent rolling and Iza was left sobbing hysterically, occasionally spitting the water that made its way into her mouth.

“Sweetness,” Anakin gathered her against his chest, jerking at the icy water that dribbled over his skin. He sat down on the floor with her, pulling her onto his lap and promptly planting his forehead to her shoulder while he sought out her hands and fit their palms together. He heard her whimper at the light tingle that started between them and pushed as much comforting energy as he could along their bond, breathing heavily into her wet hair. “ _Please forgive me_.”

“Has he?” She was suddenly so tired that she couldn’t fight him even if she wanted to.

“I have,” Obi-Wan approached slowly from the other side of the counter and eyed them thoughtfully before he sat down in front of them. Shifting closer, he reached to settle his hands on Anakin’s hips while leaning in to hover his face above Iza’s. “He was not acting of his own will, darling. You know as well as I do that Anakin would never harm me this way intentionally.”

“What are you doing?” The brunette asked curiously, unsure why she felt the urge to stretch her legs out on either side of Obi-Wan’s hips.

“Answer him first,” the older man murmured with a faint smile. “You must focus on what’s truly important, darling.”

Iza could still hear Anakin’s ragged breathing and felt the erratic way his heart beat against her back. Tilting her head a little to nestle it against his, she drew in as deep of a breath as she could manage and nodded slowly.

“I forgive you, _cyar’ika_.” Squeezing his hands, she felt a hot rush of breath against her skin followed by a press of lips to the side of her neck. A soft hum sounded in front of her and before she could look back at Obi-Wan, his forehead touched the center of hers and that familiar twinge followed. A rush of something hot and silken seemed to surge from both connection points of the separate bonds and Iza wasn’t sure if the cry she heard was in her head or if it’d actually left her throat. In her mind’s eye three ribbons of colored Force energy spun and twisted around one another; one pale blue, another a deep sapphire, and the third a brilliant ruby. The shade of purple that they blended into was so _unique_ that she wasn’t even sure she’d ever seen a color quite like it before.

Vaguely aware of the soft sound of pained growls coming from her companions, Iza wasn’t sure if she ought to put her focus on that or if she should continue following the gorgeous ribbon of light. It led her to a large space she’d never seen before made of pale gray marble and a dark stone that shimmered when the light passed over it. It reminded her of the stone that made up the sacred space she shared with Anakin, but held no sparkling stars inside of it. Above, the ceiling was open and appeared just as endless as she believed the galaxy to be, full of more tiny lights that sparkled and danced in that same pretty shade of purple. Behind her, she thought she heard Anakin say something, and then heard Obi-Wan answer from in front of her before there was a hard squeeze to her hands and the vision was melting away. Iza felt a strong sense of loss when her vision came back and she found herself sitting in Anakin’s lap with Obi-Wan’s blue eyes gazing at her, a gentle frown forming upon his lips.

“Darling,” already his hands were coming up to cradle her face and soothe the horrible need she had to cry again. “It’s all right. You’ve just wandered where you’re not supposed to be.”

“I thought…” _something_ wasn’t right. Iza couldn’t put her finger on it at first, but the longer she stared at Obi-Wan, the sooner she realized that the gash on his chest had sealed. It was still ugly and angry looking, but seemed as though it was just inches away from becoming nothing more than scar tissue. Leaning back into Anakin’s chest, she pulled her hands free and twisted to try and look over his shoulder.

“ _Sweetness_ ,” he sounded nervous, like he didn’t know what the hell she was trying to do and if he ought to be worried about it.

“You said I wasn’t allowed,” Iza breathed as she stared down at the mark on Anakin’s back. It had been healed to just about the same level as Obi-Wan’s and she couldn’t quite figure out _how_. Turning to look back at the older man, she knit her brows together in confusion. “You said—”

“ _You_ disobeyed, darling,”

“I did not!” Shaking her head insistently, the brunette settled back down in Anakin’s lap. “I didn’t do anything, Obi-Wan!”

“My sweet, darling girl,” reaching out to cup her face once more, Obi-Wan leaned in and brushed his lips over her cheeks. “You quite blatantly put your Force energy into ours.”

“But I—”

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin drew Iza back against his chest and wound his arms around her shoulders in a protective manner, resting his chin atop her head. “She has never bonded with us at the same time before. As you said, she ventured into a place she was not supposed to see. But—you know very well she would not have seen it if we did not allow her to. The same could be said about her healing our wounds.”

Obi-Wan looked conflicted for a few moments before he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“I suppose you’re right. I apologize, darling.”

“It was so pretty,” Iza murmured, reaching for his hand to play with his fingers. “The color. Did you see it?”

“I did.” He nodded and smiled slowly.

“I’m tired,” sagging against Anakin’s chest, she shut her eyes a little when he dipped his head to kiss her temple.

“You should rest, sweetness,” the younger man said quietly, fingering the material of the robe she wore. “I wonder if the bed is as clean as the rest of the place.”

“I can rest on the sofa,” Iza had no real preference. After sleeping in pod bunks for so long, she was quite used to cramped and uncomfortable conditions. “We can worry about the bedding later.”

“Are you sure, my dear?”

She nodded.

“I would much rather lie with you there, anyway.” Smiling some, Iza opened her eyes again and looked between them, raising a brow. “May I?”

“Of course you may.” Obi-Wan answered, moving to get to his feet. Offering her his hand, he looked to Anakin and held out the other to him. “Come now. We’ll rest for a while and then we can explore this… _home_ our girl has secured for us, hm?”

“Sounds like a plan, Obi-Wan.”


	28. The Beast and the Harlot

“I have a surprise for you, sweetness,” Anakin said as he came into the living room a little over a week later.

It had taken some time to get things settled around the compound—affectionately dubbed the _Starscape_ by the Clones—but they’d managed to get a routine established that didn’t feel _too_ much like a military base. The men seemed far more relaxed than Iza had ever seen them, although there were some who’d insisted on taking up jobs around the place. She’d assigned some to security detail, others to the kitchen and even a few to keep tabs on what the compound would need stocked over the coming months. The rest were keen to simply enjoy the freedom of wandering wherever they pleased without having to check in or ask for permission. The only rule in place was that no one could leave the planet without first checking in with one of the former Generals, or with Rex or Catcher. Thankfully, no one seemed interested in leaving just yet.

“A surprise?” Raising an eyebrow, Iza took note of the large crate he’d hauled in with help from Artoo and a small hovercart. Getting up from her spot on the sofa, she shot him a curious look and gestured. “What is this?”

“A _surprise_.” The younger man grinned and folded his arms, shrugging. “Go ahead. Open it.”

The brunette looked extremely wary as she came over and studied the crate. It looked like a standard transport crate just like the hundreds of others they’d offloaded over the last week or so, but she knew Anakin. Whatever the hell was in here wasn’t going to be _normal._ She wanted to ask for hints but had a feeling he wouldn’t give any. She also wanted to ask if Obi-Wan had anything to do with this—whatever _this_ happened to be. Finally, she pushed the button to open the lid and felt a strange pang of _something_ drop into her stomach at the contents.

Inside, the ammunitions crate from her room at the Temple sat inside, as well as the collection of datapads and the crate that typically held her armor. Inside of that sat the trooper helmet and well-loved stuffed cat. Her bedding had been folded and placed inside, as well as the contents of her closet and the drawers of her table. He’d gone through and cleaned out her chamber for her while he’d been on Coruscant and Iza didn’t know what to say. Reaching in, she picked up the helmet out of everything and stared at it for a long time before pulling it to her chest and pressing her face to the top of it. Screwing her face up, she gasped out a soft sound like a sob and looked up at him in wonder and adoration. Did he know? Did he know where this helmet came from and what it meant to her? Out of _everything_ in this box—perhaps aside from the cat—it was one of her most treasured belongings.

But did he _know?_

“Anakin…” her voice was so tight and tiny.

“It’s Catcher’s, isn’t it?” He smiled warmly at her and moved closer to brush the tears from her cheeks. “He gave it to you to keep you company?”

“How…?” Iza clutched the filthy thing even tighter and leaned on him.

“Sweetness,” running his fingers into her hair, Anakin bowed to kiss her forehead. “What other reason would you have to keep such an old helmet in your room?”

“You did not have to do this.”

“No, I did not,” rubbing at the back of her neck, he hummed and pulled her closer. “But I was not going to leave your things to rot in a place I knew you would never return to.”

“You stole my bedsheets, Anakin,” laughing, she set the helmet gingerly back into the crate and picked the stuffed tooka up, smiling at it fondly. “This old thing…”

“I admit—I have no idea the significance of this.” Reaching out, he touched the head of the raggedy cat. “But I was not going to leave it behind.”

“I’ve had it for as long as I can remember,” shrugging, Iza nestled into his chest and tilted her head up to brush her lips against his chin. “I can’t be certain, but I believe it’s something my parents gave to me before they handed me over to Master Windu.”

“Master Windu was the one to collect you?” Tilting his head curiously, Anakin raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know that.”

“I’m surprised he let me keep it. With all his fussing about attachments and possessions, he was very forgiving when it came to allowing me to have things like this.”

“We were allowed some possessions, sweetness,” Anakin hummed quietly and kissed the side of her head. “Perhaps he knew it brought you comfort. Same as the helmet.”

“Pity that trinkets did the job that he could not,” Iza snorted bitterly. Bowing her head to kiss the top of the tooka’s head, she set it back into the crate as well and reached in to see what else he’d brought her, laughing at the array of datapads. “You brought my tactical books. Goodness, Anakin,”

“I took whatever I could find.” He shrugged and rubbed a hand along her back. “It felt unfair to clear out our rooms and not yours.”

“Does Obi-Wan know you did this?”

“Of course. His crate was smaller than yours.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Shooting him a look, she pursed her lips. “I bet yours took up the whole cargo bay.”

“ _Hush._ ” Giving a playful swat to her backside, the younger man stepped away with a soft sigh and dropped down onto the couch, watching her continue to root through the crate. “You can rummage through that later. Come here.”

Picking her head up at the light command, Iza blinked at him and let out a soft laugh before closing the lid. Wandering over to him, she giggled when he pulled her onto his lap and groaned quietly into the kiss he pressed to her lips.

“You’ve been taking notes from Obi-Wan,” she teased, letting her fingers dance along the sides of his neck. “You’re never this demanding.”

“Is it bothersome?” Settling a hand at her waist, Anakin leaned up and drew her bottom lip between his teeth, sucking lightly until the brunette let out a soft sound and shifted on his lap to straddle him. Grinning once she’d fit her hips against his, the hand on her waist smoothed back and gave her ass a gentle squeeze.

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,” her breathing had picked up quite a bit and she gazed at him curiously. Iza wasn’t sure what had gotten into him so suddenly, but she wasn’t sure she objected to it either. Remembering he’d asked a question, she shook her head slowly and let the tip of her tongue ease past his lips to tease his. “ _No_. Not bothersome at all.”

“I’ve missed you, sweetness,” his other hand was already smoothing beneath her shirt—an oversized tunic she’d borrowed from his wardrobe—his thumb lightly teasing the soft underside of one breast. “Sleeping beside you without being allowed to touch you is torture.”

“You needed to heal, _cyar’ika_ ,” delicate fingers curled in the ends of his hair, tugging playfully. “Perhaps if you’d been able to convince Obi-Wan to let me help further, you would not be in such _agony_ , my love.”

He grinned at her and shrugged a shoulder lightly, the hand beneath her shirt slipping higher to palm and squeeze her breast, fingers toying with the stiffening peak until she whined needily at him.

“You have not sought out Catcher,” his lips brushed her chin and worked their way to her neck. “May I ask why?”

“You want to ask me this _now?_ ” Laughing, Iza tilted her head for him and gasped at the tug he gave to her nipple that coincided with the sharp scrape of his teeth over her skin. “ _Anakin,_ ”

“Humor me, sweetness,” he shifted on the couch beneath her with a low growl, manipulating her on his lap to settle her weight in just the right spot.

“He has been exhausted from the move,” Iza dropped her hands from Anakin’s hair and slipped them beneath the hem of his shirt, fingertips tracing the lines of his hard muscled abdomen. “Like you, he needed time to recover. That does not mean I have not played with him, you nosy boy.”

“I wonder,” humming thoughtfully, he slouched in his seat to allow her better access beneath his shirt. “Would your Catcher be interested in something similar to what _we_ get up to with you?”

“He has no interest in men, Anakin,” pausing to lean back and look at him, Iza tilted her head and knit her brows together. “You are in quite the mood, _cyar’ika_. Why the sudden interest in bringing Catcher into our bed?”

“It’s just an idea.” He smiled up at her and shrugged again, the hand beneath her shirt moving to play with her other breast. “Now that we’re all under one roof I’m trying to think of ways to make this… _fairer_.”

“You’re sweet,” the brunette leaned in and lured him into a soft, deep kiss. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against his and hummed quietly, skimming her palms up and down along his sides. “You worry more than I do, love. I assure you, things are about as fair and even as I can physically make them.”

“He still does not trust us.”

“He has his reasons, Anakin,” sighing heavily, Iza frowned. “And he _does_ trust you. He does. He is just cautious. He has always been this way when it comes to me.”

“Surely he must know by now that we will not harm you?” Pausing in his petting, Anakin slid his hand around to her lower back and pulled her in to settle her against his chest. “The two of you fight more viciously than—”

“ _Anakin_ ,” dropping her head, Iza bit his shoulder and huffed. “You know very well that you and I are nearly just as bad. How many times has Obi-Wan had to step in to keep us from coming to blows?”

“I would never put my hands on you.”

“You have.” Resting her head on his shoulder, Iza traced her finger along the neck of his shirt and breathed out a soft huff. “You have _tried_ , rather. Have you forgotten that you nearly put your hand around my neck in the storage closet?”

“You provoked me.”

“Yes—but it still counts, _cyar’ika_ ,” nuzzling at his neck, the brunette pressed soft kisses to his skin and shifted on him. “I do not wish to argue with you, Anakin. Please,”

“I was just trying to be thoughtful, sweetness,” he tilted his head for her, running his hand up and down her back in slow passes.

“And it was _very_ thoughtful of you to want to include Catcher, my love,” trailing her kisses up his jaw to his lips, Iza sat up a little and gently dragged her teeth over his full bottom lip. “I shall bring your offer up to him at a later time. For now, I would like to continue being sweet with you.”

“Sweet?” He smiled at her wickedly, lips parting slightly when he thought she was going to kiss him. A soft snarl left his throat when she simply brushed her mouth across his and nipped his chin instead. “Is that what you call this?”

“You have a better word for it?” Leaning in to kiss him, Iza paused and stared at something over Anakin’s shoulder, prompting him to frown and knit his brows in confusion.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“How long has Artoo been there?”

Sitting up, Anakin held tight to Iza’s waist to keep her from toppling off of him and twisted to look over the top of the sofa, letting out a heavy groan.

“ _Artoo_ ,”

The astromech chirped and whistled cheerily, wiggling in place.

“Out, buddy,” pointing to the doors, Anakin tried not to laugh when the droid made a sputtering sound. “You cannot call me a _spoilsport_. Go find Arfour and pester her.”

A few sharp, indignant beeps later and the astromech had left the room, the sounds of his shrill whistling and chirping echoing down the hall as the doors closed.

“Foul mouthed little…” shaking his head, Anakin righted himself in his seat and looked up at Iza, who seemed very amused. “What?”

“What was all that?”

“I thought you spoke Binary?”

“I understand some of it,” shrugging, Iza brushed a bit of hair off of Anakin’s forehead and twisted the strands around a fingertip idly. “Not nearly as much as you.”

“He called me a _spoilsport_ for not letting him observe.” Making a face, Anakin shook his head. “I’m not sure what he stands to gain from watching two organics be intimate with one another, but—he’s always been a bit _strange_.”

“Two… _organics_ …” Iza stared at him and started to laugh. “ _Cyar’ika_ , you really have been spending too much time with Obi-Wan. _Be intimate_.” Nudging her forehead against his with a snicker, she pursed her lips. “Just say _fuck_ , will you?”

“Is that what you want?” He smiled up at her and lightly nipped at her mouth. “Would you prefer a more vulgar tongue, sweetness? I seem to recall you getting quite flustered the last time I spoke that way with you.”

“You were talking _filth_ , Anakin,” dragging her fingers back into his hair, the brunette shot him a look and gave the roots a tug. “You know I don’t mind the swearing.”

“I’m not sure what Artoo stands to gain from watching us _fuck_ , sweetness.” Pulling her in tighter against him, the younger man tilted his head and began nipping a line down the side of her neck. “But I could call him back in here if you like. I’m starting to warm up to the idea of having a holo-recording of you coming all over my—”

“ _Anakin!_ ” Iza couldn’t control her breathing or the pitch of her voice to save her life and it only served to make Anakin chuckle.

“You said you wanted swearing. That counts as swearing.”

“It counts as the same filth you were spewing before.” And it was enough to make her involuntarily squeeze her thighs against him. “ _Honestly_ ,”

“What’s so filthy about it?” Kissing along the hollow of her throat, he dragged his palms over the swell of her ass and squeezed, growling softly as he rocked his hips up from the sofa into hers. “You enjoy letting Obi-Wan watch. What’s different about keeping a video record?”

“That is _not_ the filthy part and you know it.”

“Hm,” he leaned back to look at her, amused. Pretending to think about what part of his statement might have been the most obscene, he gave a mock gasp of surprise. “ _Oh_. I see. You become embarrassed by the word _cock_.”

“I’m not _embarrassed_ by it.” She insisted, knowing damn well her cheeks were starting to heat. “Only when you and that _bastard_ say such dirty things while using it does it bother me.”

“Iza, _sweetness_ ,” snickering, Anakin kissed the underside of her jaw and down the other side of her neck, finding his favorite spot to begin leaving a mark. “For a woman who behaves so deviously, you fluster quite easily.”

“I’m not flustered.”

“Really?” Raising an eyebrow, he nipped the tender spot. “Does that mean I can continue telling you how much I’ve missed the way you feel? The way you _taste?_ ” His fingers sank deep into the soft flesh of her hips as he growled against her neck. “How fucking _wet_ and _tight_ you get when you’re just about to—”

“ _Cyar’ika,_ please,” it wasn’t a plea for him to stop being so vulgar as much as it was for him stop _taunting_ her. Iza could handle such things being said to her when they were said at the right time; it was the manner in which he said them, how low and rough his voice had gotten as he whispered in her ear that really did her in.

“ _That too_ ,” Anakin bit down hard on the mark and breathed out a heavy growl. “You and that sweet tone of yours. I wish you knew what that does to me.”

Letting out a weak laugh, Iza rolled her hips into him and grinned wide at the way he moaned against her skin.

“Got a pretty good idea.” The fingers tangled in his hair slid down the back of his neck before the brunette gave the material of his tunic a tug. “Someone’s going to walk in on us in here, you know.”

“Mhm,” he sounded like he couldn’t have cared less. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“We should move to the bedroom, _cyar’ika_.”

Anakin said nothing as he slung his arms beneath her backside and stood up carefully, teetering just a tiny bit while trying to balance out the added weight of the brunette he held. Continuing to darken the mark on her neck, he blindly ventured down the hall and into the bedroom they shared with Obi-Wan, grunting quietly when his shoulder clipped the doorframe. Flashing a quick smile as he approached the bed, the younger man promptly dropped Iza down onto the surface and laughed at the way she yelled in surprise.

“ _Anakin!_ ” Force, she hated it when they did that. It was all fine and dandy when they tossed her around, but she liked to be _somewhat_ aware that it was going to happen.

“Oops,” stooping to get his boots off, Anakin crawled onto the mattress beside her and hummed quietly before pulling her over him, groaning softly at the way she straddled his waist and settled her weight down on him _just right_. Reaching up, he gave the borrowed shirt she wore a playful tug and grinned slowly. “Can this come off now?”

“No.” Iza said plainly, leaning over him to brace her palms on either side of his head.

“And why not?” Wrapping the material around his fingers, Anakin gave a strong tug and frowned. Clearly, he wasn’t afraid to tear his own shirt in half if he had to. Iza almost wanted to see if he would.

“Perhaps I’d like to keep it on,” sweeping her hair over her shoulder so it wouldn’t all fall into his face, the brunette smiled and nestled down against his chest, pressing kisses to his jaw. Beneath her, Anakin pouted.

“What good is it to leave it on? How am I supposed to see you?”

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,” she had to fight not to laugh as she reached up and gave a light tap to his forehead. “You have me stored away up here. I know. _You’ve shown me_.”

“But I enjoy watching the way you move,” the purse of his lips became stronger, the crease between his brows deepening as the look on his face became more childish and sulky. “I enjoy the softness of your body. This—” he gave the shirt another hearty tug. “—is an eyesore.”

“It belongs to _you_ , _cyar’ika_.”

“I said what I said.”

Iza bit down on her tongue to stop a smile and sat up on him again, raising an eyebrow. Lowering her hands to the hem of the shirt, she twisted her fingers in the material and began pulling it up, pausing before she’d barely gotten it above her midriff.

“ _Must_ it come off, Anakin?”

She watched about three or four different emotions flicker across his face. He seemed suspicious of her at first, then frustrated, then his eyes had gone a bit soft as though he’d started wondering if she _really_ cared about whether the shirt remained in place or not; finally, he’d settled on that familiar look of determination and brought his leather-clad fingers up to wrap them tight in the front of the shirt and tear the damn thing in two.

“ _Oops_ ,” the careless tone he used was flat and near emotionless. “Guess it has to come off.”

“ _Anakin_ ,” she’d known he’d do it and yet, she was still surprised. “I _liked_ this one.”

“I have a dozen just like it.” Sweeping his fingers up the middle of her torso with a thoughtful look, he hummed and smiled contentedly. “This is much better.”

“You better do it too,” shrugging out of the remains of the shirt, Iza gestured to the one he wore and pretended to be put off, unable to stop the moan that rose in her throat when he gave one of her nipples a pinch.

“What, take my shirt off? Sure,” carefully sitting up so he wouldn’t knock her out of his lap, the younger man pulled his tunic off over his head and threw it onto the floor. He’d have to remember to pick it up later so he wouldn’t get _the look_ from Obi-Wan. Smiling at Iza with long bits of hair dangling in his eyes, he leaned in and kissed her deeply, tongue sliding past her lips with a low groan. “How’s that, sweetness?”

“Better,” smiling against his lips, Iza gingerly rested her forehead against his and ran the tips of her fingers along his shoulders and down his arms, linking her fingers between his. “Ani?”

“Hm?”

Pressing forward until she was pressed flush against his chest and that familiar tingle had started in the place where their foreheads were joined, the brunette carefully shifted to wind her legs around his waist and stole a soft kiss.

“Can I try it this time?” Her smile grew slowly as she flattened her palms and Anakin mirrored the movement. Their fingertips didn’t quite match up, but their palms stayed sealed against one another and started another gentle tingle between them. Faintly, she wondered how many places they could bond together at once. Obi-Wan had not mentioned there could be multiple links open at once.

“Do you think you can?” Anakin was more curious than anything. Iza had tried reaching into him before but couldn’t seem to do it. She had an easier time with Catcher simply because she controlled the bond she had with him. Both Obi-Wan and Anakin were the dominate forces behind the bonds she held with them and it made it harder for her to link up through the Force with them.

“Will you let me?” Brushing her lips over his she pressed closer. “It’s easier to do it if you open yourself to me, _cyar’ika_.”

Anakin wanted to believe that this was safe to do without Obi-Wan around. He knew he ought to give her the chance to try, considering he’d done some pretty tricky Runi with her that he _wasn’t_ supposed to. But there was a difference between knowing how to do the things you weren’t supposed to do, and _not_ knowing how to do any of it at all. He didn’t want to deny her the right to try, but didn’t want to end up stuck in some weird bond haze or something.

“Anakin?” Iza could feel the confliction swirling in his chest like it was her own. She could understand how he might have some reservations about letting her be the one to control the bond, but she also just wanted a chance to show him what she’d learned. Out of the pair, Anakin had been the one who seemed the most open to seeing her progress.

“We should wait,” he felt the pinch of disappointment on her end when he said it and he tried his best to soothe her with soft kisses. He felt a bit like an asshole when he broke the link between their hands but he wanted to touch her and try to relax her further. “Please don’t be upset with me, sweetness,”

“Don’t you trust me, Anakin?” She wasn’t sure if it was fair to throw that at him or not, but they _constantly_ asked for her trust when they bonded with her. Iza always had to confirm that— _yes_ , she trusted them completely. She trusted them to pour themselves so deeply into her mind and body that she’d allowed them to make homes for themselves inside of her. She trusted that they would do no harm to her whenever they touched things no one else had ever seen or touched. She had trusted Obi-Wan when he had suppressed her darkness so deeply that she’d felt brand new and trusted Anakin when he bonded himself to her so strongly that he’d ripped that darkness back to the surface without realizing it. But when she asked for their trust to try these things with them, they hesitated.

“Of course I trust you,” cupping her face in his hands, Anakin pulled back to look at her and frowned. “How can you ask me that?”

“Then why…?”

How did he explain this without hurting her feelings further? Anakin didn’t want to tell her that allowing her to be the one to form the bond gave her the power to control what she saw. She likely already knew, anyway. But he’d noted her tendency to wander when he and Obi-Wan had bonded her the other day and he didn’t want her stumbling upon things that she didn’t like. Iza would have the power to take things, erase them, suppress them; there were memories that he didn’t like, but didn’t necessarily want to bury. He hadn’t let Obi-Wan take them from him and he didn’t want her to do it either. He remembered how selfishly she’d torn things from Catcher and what it’d done to that man, and whether or not Iza had really been aware of it, it’d had a lasting effect.

“My mind is not a friendly place right now, sweetness,” well, it wasn’t a _complete_ lie. “Obi-Wan will be cross with me if I let you in and you come out upset.”

“Sithspit,” he really hated it when she made that face at him. That pissed off, pouty look always punched him right in the middle of the gut. “You slipped yourself into my head after I _fell_ , Anakin. That’s not fair.”

“I would just prefer it if Obi-Wan were here to guide you, sweetness,” _fine_ ; if she wanted the honest truth, she could have it. “It isn’t about whether I trust you or not. It’s about— _hey!_ ”

Iza had pulled away from him so suddenly that she’d almost kneed him in the face, and he was left to snag her by the ankle before she could crawl her way off the bed. Pulling her back even as she hollered in protest, Anakin gathered her against his chest again and grunted when she smacked his shoulder.

“Iza,” squeezing her uncomfortably tight, he wasn’t surprised when she refused to look at him. “Sweetness, I swear I’m not trying to hurt you.”

“ _You’re_ no better at this than I am, you know,” Iza huffed, glaring at the floor. “You fumble and you go to places you’re not supposed to see, but you never hear me complain. You do things with me we’re not supposed to do— _without Obi-Wan_. Why is it so different when _I_ want to do it?”

“I…” he hated that she had a point. “Listen to me, sweetness,” turning her head gently so she’d look at him, Anakin kissed the spot between her eyes and sighed heavily. “I trust you. I trust you _a lot_. But your impulsiveness scares me at times. I don’t want you to see something you don’t like and try to do something about it. I am not Catcher. You can’t just take from me, Iza.”

“I only took what was _mine_ , Anakin,” scowling a little, Iza looked like she might shove him off if he wasn’t careful about the next thing he said to her. “I haven’t done anything like that since. You’d know that if you had more than a five minute conversation with him once in a while.”

“What do you think I’m trying to do, Iza?” Frowning hard, Anakin turned a hand up. “Maybe inviting him into the bedroom isn’t the right tactic, but if you’ve got a better idea—I’m all ears.”

“We’re not discussing Catcher right now. Don’t change the subject.”

“I’ve told you why I’m hesitant, sweetness,” he shrugged. “I’ve got nothing else to say.”

“Neither do I.” Pulling away from him again, she got to the edge of the bed this time before Anakin scoffed behind her.

“ _Really?_ ”

“You want me to still be in the mood after that?” Sliding off the bed, Iza stooped to pick up Anakin’s discarded tunic to pull it on over her head. He could get a fresh one from the wardrobe if he wanted. “I’m upset with you.”

“Are you going to go running to Obi-Wan to tell him how I wouldn’t let you bond with me? It seems to be your new favorite thing to do. _Tattling on me_.” Lying back on the bed with a growl, Anakin rolled over so his back faced her. Perhaps it was childish to say something like that, but he was frustrated. He’d been sincere with his words and he’d hoped she’d understand. It wasn’t his fault she had to take everything so personal. He certainly didn’t expect to be bashed over the head with one of the bed pillows. “ _Iza!_ ”

“You’re _mean_ ,” hitting him again Iza huffed angrily and pushed the hair away from her face before swinging the pillow back. “You’re so _cruel_ , Anakin Skywalker!”

Catching the pillow before it had a chance to make contact again Anakin stared at her for a minute before he reached out and snagged her around the waist. Hauling her onto the bed, he rolled her beneath him even as she yelled in protest and hit his shoulder with her free hand. He knew the struggling was just for show; he’d let her go if he thought she felt truly threatened.

“You,” he whispered, stealing a rough kiss from her. “Are so fucking _annoying_ , sweetness,”

Iza hit his shoulder again and whined into his mouth, relinquishing the pillow when he pulled it from her grip to tuck it behind her head. She continued squirming and twisting beneath him for a little longer until he knocked her knees apart with one of his and settled between her thighs. It was damn difficult to ignore how hard he was when he pressed himself against her, fitting his hips up into hers just right so he could grind on her and reignite the fire that had all but gone out inside of her.

“So are you,” she breathed, curling her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck. Letting out a soft whimper when he dragged his teeth along the curve of her jaw to the tender mark he’d left on her neck, Iza tugged at his hair and was rewarded with a sharp bite to the mark.

“I’ve warned you,” he murmured against her skin, fingers crawling up beneath the stolen shirt she wore to grab and play with her tits. “Don’t pull like that, sweetness.”

“You’re really not that intimidating, Anakin,” if he wanted to play this game, then she’d play it. Besides, she was still a little irritated with him.

“I’ll remember that,” looking up at her as he kissed his way down her torso, the younger man batted her hand out of his hair and pushed the hem of the shirt up to litter harsh bites over her belly. Smirking to himself at the way she’d started making those soft little noises of hers in between her already erratic panting, Anakin brought his hands down to work her pants off of her hips and tossed them over his shoulder carelessly. The panties she wore were torn away without much thought or care and he made note of the delightful way she’d gasped in surprise. He’d hummed quietly and started kissing at her thighs when he felt her snatch him by the hair again and guide his mouth where she wanted it. For a moment, he contemplated refusing just to see how long it might take for her to start hollering at him. But when he looked up and caught sight of that determined look in her eyes, he honestly couldn’t help but give in.

Grabbing her thighs he shoved them apart and pressed his mouth to her sex, sucking and laving and gently nibbling the flesh with his teeth. He worked his tongue against her in slow passes, growling when he felt her shiver. Iza moaned heavily above him, rolling her hips hard against his mouth as she watched him through half closed eyes and gave him loving little scratches to his scalp. The dark look in the younger man’s gorgeous blue eyes sent an electric chill up her spine and made her body shiver deliciously. Biting her bottom lip, she smiled down at him and cried out softly when he sucked at her clit, his hands smoothing up the back of her legs to clutch her ass and pull her tighter against his mouth.

“ _Anakin_ ,” she was really trying not to thrash so much but it couldn’t be helped as he’d found a stupidly sensitive spot and kept flicking the tip of his tongue against it in between the slower drags of his tongue over her clit. Iza had let go of his hair in favor of pulling at the bedding instead, her head pressing deeper and deeper into the pillow the longer he continued. She felt fingers press gently inside of her and would have been more than happy to just lie back and allow it had she not noticed how much _firmer_ and _thicker_ they felt. Picking her head up with a sharp gasp, she stared at him with wide eyes and got a soft chuckle in response. “Ani?”

“Relax,” _sweet mother_ , the little flourish of his tongue against her clit was almost enough to set her off. “I figured taking the glove off would startle you even more.”

Iza wasn’t sure what to say or to think. The sensation was so _strange_ , but not unpleasant in the slightest. Perhaps knowing how terrifyingly strong that hand was had been what sparked a sudden surge in her arousal, but the brunette couldn’t be sure. She’d like to blame it on the fact that he knew all of her most sensitive spots and knew just how she liked them touched. But even the gentlest of motions felt stronger than those of his biological fingers and Iza had to cover her mouth with both of her hands to muffle the heavy cries that followed him press rubbing the sweet spot on the high wall of her cunt. Chuckling against her flesh as he swirled his tongue against her clit, Anakin glanced up at her and pressed a fraction harder, grunting when the brunette’s thighs clamped against the sides of his head as an orgasm detonated within her without warning. She really didn’t mean to scream into her palms the way that she did, nor had she meant to kick her heels against his back but Iza couldn’t control the way her body wanted to spasm as he worked her over without mercy.

“Again,” he murmured, pressing his fingers deeper. “Come again for me, sweetness,”

Her back arched up from the bed, fingers twisting the material of the shirt she wore to tug at it until she heard seams ripping. Iza shook her head from side to side, gasping sharply at the ceiling and bucking her hips when his mouth brushed against her slick flesh again. She couldn’t keep still to save her life, but she wasn’t sure she could go over a second time as quickly as he wanted her to.

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,” the brunette shouted out as the pace of his fingers picked up and she covered her face with her arms, feeling her entire body tense. _So close_. She was so fucking close and she couldn’t reach it. There was no sign at all that he was holding her orgasm off through the Force; her own body was keeping it out of her grasp. Iza could hear soft pleading and realized it was her own. The delicate pass of a tongue against her clit stilled her completely and made her part her knees as wide as she could get them. The second pass was slower; the third was followed by a slow thrust of leather-clad fingers that curled gently inside of her and struck the right bundle of nerves to set her off.

Iza hollered like she’d been electro-shocked, and her body jerked and trembled like it too. She swore she went blind for a solid minute as she cursed and breathed out Anakin’s name in an endless chant until she felt the warm weight of his body settle alongside her. Wet fingers pressed against her lips and she drew them into her mouth without hesitation, gasping around them while she tried to catch her breath and suck the juices from them at the same time. She tasted leather beneath her own flavor and sank her teeth into the digits, growling heavily as her eyes came back into focus to find Anakin hovering nearby with a look of lustful wonder on his face. After a moment or two, he pulled his fingers from her mouth and gently grasped her jaw, pulling her in for a wickedly soft kiss.

“Are you all right?” He murmured, groaning when she palmed him and gave his cock a hearty squeeze. “I think you blacked out for a second, sweetness,”

“ _Cin_ ,” she growled into his mouth, biting at his lips and chin in between kisses. Tugging at the waist of his trousers, the brunette pressed her forehead into his and locked her dazed eyes to his. “ _Anakin_ ,”

“Yes?” He had to fight not to let his eyes roll back when she got her hand beneath the material and started stroking him.

“ _Off_.”

“Off?” He tilted his head and smiled, exhaling harshly through his nose when she closed her fingers around the head of his cock and squeezed. _Sweet Maker_ , she was demanding when she was worked up like this. Honestly, he _loved_ it. As much as he loved teasing her for her sex drive, Anakin was most definitely a fan of the urgency she displayed when she truly wanted something.

“ _Anakin_ ,”

“Okay, okay,” luring her into a deep, rough kiss, he worked his pants off his hips and kicked them off, letting out another heavy groan as Iza’s fist closed around the base of his cock. “ _Sweetness,_ ”

Turning over onto her belly, the brunette said nothing as she bowed her head and took him into her mouth. Sucking in slow pulls, Iza was still trying to catch her damn breath and keep her head from spinning too much but hell if she wasn’t going to try and get this man to whimper and squirm for her. Looking up when she felt him sweep her long hair back away from her face, she opened her mouth around him enough to rub the pad of her tongue against the sweet spot below the head and grinned at the way his jaw went slack. _Force_ , she loved that stupid look. Knowing she pretty much had full control over him because she knew all the right spots to lick and suck gave her quite the rush. She understood why he and Obi-Wan got off on the idea of fully dominating her in here, for sure. Humming softly, Iza tilted her head and lightly ran the tip of her tongue along the length of his cock from tip to base and back again, listening to the way he growled with each exhale of breath and watching as his features grew more and more feral the longer she teased him.

After the third or fourth pass, Anakin’s growling had become snarling and she caught him lifting his hand out of the corner of her eye like he thought he was going to take control of the situation. Letting out a soft snort, Iza set the edges of her teeth against the head and felt him twitch as a strangled sound got caught in his throat.

“That’s _dirty,_ ” he hissed, dropping his hand back to the bed. Iza said nothing and playfully flicked her tongue along the blunt tip, licking away the bead of precum that had gathered there. Taking him fully into her mouth once more, she sucked in stronger pulls, moving down as far along as she could. Twice, she heard him gasp sharply and felt his thighs twitch and she paused, waiting to see if he’d stop her entirely. Both times he’d whined at her and almost made her laugh—not an easy thing to do with a cock in your mouth, really. Finally, she pulled up all the way and gave the head a tiny kiss before smiling at him and rolling away with a snicker. It took mere nanoseconds before he covered her from behind, mouth hot on her back as he pushed up the shirt she still wore and kissed his way up to her shoulder. “Iza, take this fucking thing _off_ ,”

“No,” stretching her arms out in front of her, Iza lifted her hips up and pressed back on him, wriggling. “Anakin,”

He really wanted to argue and maybe yank the damn thing off of her, but he’d ruined enough shirts for one day. Besides, the last thing he needed was to piss her off a second time. It wouldn’t stop him from letting out an annoyed huff before he popped a hand against one of her asscheeks, however. The sound she made in response nearly undid him and he had half a mind to keep swatting her, but he had a bad feeling she’d start yelling if he stalled any further. Sliding a hand between her thighs to get her to part them, he positioned himself behind her and rubbed his cock between the slick folds of her pussy, growling louder than he probably should have.

“Say please,” Iza piped in a strained voice, catching his attention. Her command seemed to surprise even her because the look on her face was almost unsure when she looked back at him as he stared at her in shock. Raising an eyebrow, Anakin gave a slight tilt of his head as if to ask if she was serious. When the brunette simply pulled her hips away, he grasped her waist and pulled her back, unwilling to lose the contact.

“Please?” Leaning over her, Anakin nipped at the edge of her ear and rubbed the head of his cock around her clit. “ _Please, sweetness?_ ”

Iza could only nod and moan softly in response. Once permission had been granted, he lined himself up and slowly sank into her. Both of his hands grasped tightly at her waist as he nudged his hips forward, leaning over with his belly pressed to her back as he surged as deep as he could get and bit her shoulder.

“Take the fucking shirt off, Iza,” he growled, spitting linen from his mouth.

“ _No_.” Wheezing into the bedspread, the brunette buried her face against it and dragged her nails over the surface as she arched her hips back into him. She shouted in surprise when Anakin drew his hips back almost all the way and slammed forward, causing her legs to tremble hard at the sensation. “ _Cyar’ika!_ ”

“Take. It. _Off_.” He growled, not sounding like himself as he found another spot on her shoulder to sink his teeth into.

“ _Okay_ ,” Iza whined weakly, trying to find the strength to pull the stupid thing off over her head. It took a few moments of struggling before she was able to get it off and she let out a heavy cry when Anakin immediately sank his teeth into the spot between her shoulder blades. “Anakin!”

“Keep saying my name like that.” Grinning to himself, Anakin let go of her waist and wound his arms around her shoulders, pressing her body into the bed with his as he rested his chin on her shoulder and worked his hips in slow, hard rolls. “You love me, right sweetness?”

“Yes…” she breathed, feeling as though she was going out of her mind as every thrust he put into her threatened to break what little control she had over herself. “I love you. I love you so… _so much_.”

“And you’re _mine?_ ” Strong fingers slipped around the column of her throat and squeezed gently, drawing a soft, keening whine from her.

“Yours,” Iza leaned her head against his and shut her eyes. She was going to pass out from all of this and she wasn’t entirely sure she minded.

“Good.” Picking up the pace, Anakin licked his lips and bit down on the bottom one, grunting and panting into Iza’s ear. He wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to last. She was already tightening up on him and the sweet sound of her moaning was starting to fray his control. Turning his head so his lips brushed her ear, he nipped the edge of it and groaned heavily.

Iza wanted to twist around and kiss him, but he had her pinned to the point where she could barely move. He’d started thrusting into her as hard as he could without hurting her, hitting little spots inside of her that were pushing her closer to the edge. Bowing her head, she sank her teeth into the blanket and screamed hard as she came, hearing him let out a cracked yell of his own as he jerked his hips and poured himself into her.

The older woman sank into the bed as her body throbbed and she grunted weakly when Anakin rested his full weight against her back, utterly spent. The two lay there for a long while, just panting and basking in the afterglow of the orgasm that felt long overdue. After a while, he carefully lifted himself off of her and pulled out, dropping next to her with a groan.

“Fuck,” he hissed, rubbing his hands over his face. Turning to look over at her, he reached up and swept the sweat soaked hair away from her eyes and smiled when she lifted her lids to look at him. “You okay?”

“Mhm…” she nodded, shifting closer to wind an arm around him and rest against his side. “Just a little bruised. No worse than usual.”

Snickering weakly, he gathered her into his arms and kissed the top of her head, nuzzling his face into her sweat-damp hair. He was vaguely aware of the way she’d started pawing at his chest and glanced down to look at her, smiling against her lips when she drew him in for a deep kiss. For a while, they just lay there making out lazily and occasionally running their fingers along bare bits of skin until Iza eventually reached out and began trailing her fingers over the glove concealing his mechno-arm.

“That was… _interesting,_ ” she murmured, nuzzling her cheek into his shoulder.

“Good interesting or bad interesting?” Anakin smirked and turned his hand over so she could trace along the inside of his palm.

“ _Kinky_ would be a better word for it, honestly,” letting out a soft laugh, she looked up at him and bit her lip. “…can you even… is it safe for you to…?”

“Can I use these fingers on you without the glove?” He grinned at the way her cheeks turned pink and leaned in to kiss the end of her nose. “I can. It’s safe. Why? Do you want to try that?”

“I think I’m spent for the moment,” laughing nervously, Iza accepted the soft kiss he planted to her lips, leaning into it and groaning softly when he dragged his teeth over her lower lip. Humming quietly, she seemed to get lost in thought for a moment before looking up at him again. “I have a question but I don’t want to sound insensitive—”

“I can feel _everything_ , sweetness,” laughing, the younger man pressed his lips to her forehead and gave her an affectionate squeeze. “And you didn’t sound insensitive. If you have questions, you can ask. I don’t mind.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Smiling, she breathed out a quiet sigh and was content to snuggle into him for a while, continuing to trade soft kisses and affectionate murmurings with him until—eventually—the sound of voices in the next room drew her curiosity. “Do you think Obi-Wan is waiting for us to finish in here?”

“You know he doesn’t care. He just walks right on in half the time.” Rolling his eyes, Anakin frowned at the door like he was trying to figure out who might be in the next room. “I can’t tell if that’s Catcher…?”

“Probably,” heaving a sigh, Iza tilted her head up to pull him in for one last lingering kiss and then rolled off the bed, picking up the discarded shirt to throw it on over her head. “Why don’t you get dressed and we’ll discuss your little _idea_ with him, hm?”

“Now?” Anakin made a face.

“ _Cyar’ika_ ,” tugging the hem down over her backside, Iza smiled at him and poked her bottom lip out. “I’m hungry.”

“All right, fine.” He wasn’t going to argue with her if she wanted food. He’d tried that once before and it hadn’t ended well. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

Nodding, Iza made her way out of the room and ventured slowly into the living room where she found Obi-Wan and Catcher in the middle of a conversation. Neither man seemed to notice her at first, but she was caught off guard by the sound of someone clearing their throat off to the side. Looking over, the brunette felt her face grow hot at the sight of Rex parked in one of the chairs, looking a little flustered by her appearance.

“Hello darling,” Obi-Wan drew her attention over to him, offering a soft smile while Catcher simply stared with one brow raised in the direction of her bare thighs. “Have the two of you finished?”

“We have company?” Pulling the hem of the tunic down as far as she could, Iza tried not to look terribly embarrassed.

“We do, yes,”

“How long…?”

“ _Long enough_.” Rex coughed into his hand and avoided her gaze.

“Great,” pointing behind her she began to back up down the hall, forcing a tight smile. “I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time, sweetheart.” Catcher called, sounding amused.

She wanted to swear at him but she was far too mortified to do anything other than dash back into the bedroom where Anakin was pulling a fresh tunic from his side of the dresser. He gave her a funny look and knit his brows together as he watched her scramble to find her pants.

“Sweetness?”

“Rex is out there,” how her pants had gotten _under_ the bed, she didn’t know. “He heard us. He’s now seen most of my bare ass. I want to die.”

Anakin had to cover his mouth with the back of his hand so she wouldn’t see him fighting off a smirk. It didn’t help when she stared at him with such a pitiful look on her face. Crossing the space of the bedroom, he reached out and cupped her beneath the chin, bending to plant a kiss to her lips.

“I assure you that Rex does not care, sweetness,” nudging his forehead against hers, he smiled affectionately. “That man has heard and seen worse things.”

“That’s not reassuring, Anakin. Not in the slightest.”

“Iza,” laughing, he nuzzled his nose against hers and pulled her closer. “The man is a soldier. _Same as you_. You know the kind of horrors he’s seen. I guarantee that _most of your bare ass_ is probably Paradise to him.”

“ _Anakin!_ ”

“What? What do you want me to say, Iza?” Sliding his fingers into her hair, he peppered more kisses across her face and chuckled lowly. “I don’t know how to help you.”

The brunette only pouted and buried her face against his chest, prompting him into laughing again. Wrapping his arms around her with a sigh, Anakin rested his chin on the top of her head and gave her a squeeze.

“Hey,” he nudged her. “Who are you?”

Iza flinched a little and leaned back to look at him, mildly confused. When he just smiled at her and urged her on with a raise of the eyebrows, she shrugged a shoulder.

“General Iza Tacor,” she said slowly, nearly forgetting to drop the _Jedi_ from her title. “I’m a fucking soldier. I can handle anything and I don’t take shit from anyone. I can tear a commando droid apart with my bare hands and I’m not afraid to do the same to a grown man.”

“ _Mhm_ ,” giving her chin a pinch, he looked at her expectantly. “And?”

“I’m a _beast._ ”

“Yes you are.” Smiling wider, Anakin stole a soft kiss and reached down to give her backside a playful pat before pulling away. “Now _go_. You annoying little nightmare.”


	29. I'm About to Break You

Iza had been enjoying the balmy night air as she sat meditating on the balcony, idly listening to the sounds of the Clones who had gone down to one of the long stretches of beach to drink. She’d gotten herself lost in her thoughts for a long while, unsure of how much time had actually passed until she felt a gentle presence approaching. A smile lifted the corner of her mouth and she hummed softly as the scent of linen soap disrupted the salty smell of the sea on her next inhale.

“Hello darling,” she said softly, opening her eyes to look up at Obi-Wan, who stood propped in the doorway with a curious look on his face. He looked relaxed for the first time in a long time with his hair hanging carelessly in his eyes and the loose-fitting tunic only half tucked into his trousers. His blue eyes shimmered in the light of the candles Iza had scattered around her and his mustache twitched at one end as a smile formed on his lips before he stepped further out onto the balcony. It was then she noticed he had something in his hand; her stuffed tooka. “Where did you get that?”

“I’m surprised you still have this rotten old thing,” coming to sit with her, Obi-Wan cast a fond look down at the toy before holding it out to her. “I would have thought you’d thrown it out by now.”

“Why would I do that?” Casting an almost offended look in his direction, Iza held the cat to her chest protectively and frowned. This prompted Obi-Wan to lean across the space between them and press a kiss to the middle of her forehead.

“I didn’t mean to offend, darling,” his smile softened and he ran the knuckle of a crooked finger beneath her chin. “I’m just surprised.”

“What’s so surprising about it?”

“My girl, you need not be so defensive,” resting his hand on her thigh, the older man tipped his head. “You were quite young when Master Windu gifted this to you. Forgive me for believing that you might not want to keep old reminders of your former master around.”

Iza stared at him, brows knitting together in confusion.

“Master Windu didn’t give this to me. I brought this with me when I was taken from my parents.”

“No darling,” he smiled in that gentle way he usually did when she was being naïve. “Master Windu gave you that toy. You used to cry for hours because you could not bring one of the stray kittens into the Temple and so he gave this to you instead. You must’ve been about four.”

Looking down at the ratty stuffed cat in her hand, the brunette frowned lightly and brought a finger up to pet the top of its head. She couldn’t really remember that far back; her earliest memories were blurred images of the garden and the traffic of Coruscant. Sometimes, if she thought about it hard enough, she could remember tailing after some of the older Padawans like Obi-Wan and Quinlan Vos. Strange how she couldn’t recall Master Windu ever being kind like that.

“Where have you gone, darling?” Obi-Wan murmured, watching her look up at him.

“Was he always cold to me, Obi-Wan?” Absently running her fingers along the worn fur, Iza frowned hard. “I want to remember good things but I can barely remember him at all. It’s so strange.”

“Unfortunately, that’s what happens when a Master and Apprentice bond has been broken. Your memories of him will be clouded. Some may no longer exist at all.” Shifting to sit beside her, Obi-Wan pulled her onto his lap and propped his chin on her shoulder. “I know you tire of me saying this, but it truly is best not to dwell on these things, my dear,”

“You did not answer my question.”

“No darling,” he shook his head. “Your master was not as cold as you perceived him to be. I believe you expected more out of him than you were given. Perhaps you were given examples from others that Master Windu did not follow. But he cared for you, darling. He always cared for you.”

She didn’t know what to do with that information. It sat heavy on her chest and made it dreadfully hard for her to breathe. Eventually, it began sinking into her belly where it became even heavier and turned into something icy and upsetting. Swallowing hard, she shut her eyes and leaned her head against Obi-Wan’s, pressing her lips together tight against the heavy wobble of her jaw.

“Darling,” his lips were warm against her cheek, the embrace he wrapped her up in as comforting as he could make it.

“I was so cruel to him,” Iza hugged the stuffed cat to her chest and leaned further into Obi-Wan. “I never wanted to be cruel. Even when I was angry at him for what happened—I didn’t…”

“Listen to me,” carding his fingers through her hair, Obi-Wan spoke quietly. “While it is true that he cared for you, it does not mean he always had your best interests at heart. I am not trying to confuse you, my dear, but I told you quite plainly that your master was not always honest with you and I was not lying to you when I said it. I can’t pretend to know everything about the relationship you once had with him. Those things are lost to the Force now. I can only speak as someone who knew the things that you did not.”

“What was I blind to, Obi-Wan?” Iza didn’t want to cry over Mace Windu if she didn’t _have_ to, but there was a part of her that did feel terribly guilty for having treated him the way she did near the end.

“Darling, I do not want to upset you any further.” He nuzzled at the side of her head and pressed a kiss to her cheek, rubbing his fingers soothingly against her scalp. “Nothing I have to say is of importance anymore. You are no longer his apprentice and he is no longer your Master.”

“I wanted it to be you,” she mumbled, pouting. “I wanted so much to learn from you.”

“He was very aware of that, Iza.” Obi-Wan let out a quiet laugh. “But you know as well as I that I wasn’t ready to take a Padawan when you were of the right age. I was still a Padawan myself, after all.”

“They made _so many_ exceptions for Anakin,” Iza wasn’t angry about it anymore, but her tone was still sour after all of this time. “And I _understand_ why. I do. I didn’t back then, but—it was very discouraging for a lot of us.”

“It was also very discouraging for me, darling,” leaning his head against hers with a quiet sigh, Obi-Wan tightened his arms around her and looked out at the span of beach spread out in front of them. “Anakin knows this. I tried so hard to keep him out of those parts of my mind, but the boy pries more than you do. I look back on those things now and I feel a great amount of guilt over them. It was not that boy’s fault. None of it was his fault.”

“I’ve seen enough now to know the Council was unfair to him as well. For every exception, they traded in restrictions. They were unkind in such small ways that it couldn’t be noticed until it piled up.” Tilting her head to look at him, she gave a weak smile. “Or unless you were there to witness it firsthand.” The smile tightened and she dropped her gaze away from his. “I was no exception. I was so envious at times that I was just as mean as the others.”

“He’s forgiven you for that, Iza. He’s forgiven us both for our misjudgments.”

“He will not let me bond into him without you present,” rubbing her thumb over the head of the toy tooka, Iza frowned hard. “I feel he doesn’t trust me the way I trust the two of you.”

“My darling girl,” pinching her chin gently to encourage her to lift it, Obi-Wan smiled and swept his thumb along her bottom lip. “You are still very inexperienced in casting bonds. I assure you that Anakin has all the trust in the universe for you. He simply just wants you to have a guide.”

“He believes I’ll see something within him and try to remove it.”

“Will you?”

“ _Of course not!_ ” Scowling at him, she leaned away and growled when he caught her by the chin once more. “What I did to Catcher was a mistake! I was only trying to _help_ him.”

“And you not only upset the balance within yourself, but within _all_ of us, darling,” his grip was as gentle as ever but the look in the older man’s eyes was stern. “You do not need me to remind you of how selfish it was of you to do such a thing, but you cannot blame him for worrying you might try to do the same thing with him.”

“It’s _different_ with Catcher.” Iza bit out, shifting her gaze to the stuffed toy. “Neither of you want to hear me when I say it.”

“I’m listening to you now darling,” pressing his lips to her temple, Obi-Wan gave her a light nudge. “Speak as freely as you’d like.”

“Our bond was not…” she hesitated to use the word _forged_. It made things sound so artificial when she knew for damn sure that what she had with the two men was just as natural and as strong. “It’s different. Force Sensitive, Force Attuned— _whatever_ you want to call him, Catcher reached out to _me._ He swears he knew I was there for him even before I arrived where he’d been abandoned. It’s like the bond existed before we even set eyes on each other.”

“It likely did, darling,” smiling, Obi-Wan ran his knuckles down the side of her face. “There’s a very high chance the Force bound him to you the moment he was put into incubation.”

“I’ve wanted to have his Midi-chlorians tested but…” she sighed heavily, leaning into the touch. “I don’t want him to become some sort of _experiment_ for someone. Even if his levels are only above average, someone could catch wind and try and take him from me. And I especially don’t want him thinking that he has to behave in the same manner that I do just because he _might_ be Sensitive. I like him the way he is.”

“We can run a private test if you like,” he offered, watching her look up. “No one would have to know the results but us. You know I would never try to take him from you, darling. If you’re truly curious, I can make it happen.”

“I would prefer it if he made the decision, not me.” Iza tucked her head in the crook of Obi-Wan’s neck and shifted her gaze. “I’ve made enough selfish decisions for him.”

“He adores you, my dear,” playing with the ends of her hair, the older man hummed quietly. “I’ve seen how he charges after you in battle and the way he watches you when you’re not looking. He’s devoted himself to you quite thoroughly. I’m not sure how much he understands what your actions did to him. Not like Anakin and I do.”

“I just wanted him to stop behaving so aggressively. That was _not_ his darkness to hold onto, Obi-Wan,” swallowing thickly, Iza gave the tooka toy a squeeze. “He wasn’t made to harbor those things. I’m still not sure how he managed to grasp them and take them from me. He is still himself, perhaps just a little less… violent.”

“Mm,” Obi-Wan nodded and smirked. “You’ve reclaimed that, have you?”

“I suppose I have.”

“You’ve always been a bit _bellicose_.” He made a face like he was remembering things she could not. “I believe this is why Master Windu wanted to keep you away from the war. He knew you would feel far too comfortable in such a hostile environment.”

“You make it sound like I never knew peace within myself, Obi-Wan.” Scrunching her nose, Iza shot him a look. “I _did_. I remember being very full of light when I was younger. I tried not to let things like my jealousy rule me. I was good at it. It all got lost when… _It_ happened.”

“Would you like to take a walk with me, darling?” He knew changing the subject might earn him a dirty look, but Obi-Wan was not looking to dig into Iza’s traumas this evening. He felt he’d done enough of that by bringing her the silly toy she held.

“Yes, actually,” a wave of her hand was given and the candles around them went out all at once. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

Both brows lifted high on his head in silent question but Obi-Wan simply held his hand out for her to take to help her stand. Once she was on her feet, he followed suit and gestured to the stuffed toy.

“Will you be bringing your little friend?” He teased.

“No,” looking down at it thoughtfully, Iza rubbed a finger over the tooka’s face and brought it up to give its head a kiss. “I will be returning it to where _you_ found it.”

“Next to that filthy Trooper helmet?”

“Must you judge everything by appearance?” Squinting, the brunette shook her head at him and tutted before heading inside. She made the quick pit stop into their bedroom where she’d set out Catcher’s old helmet and propped the toy against it, letting out a soft noise when Obi-Wan slipped his arm around her from behind and settled against her back. Tilting her head as he swept the hair away from her neck to place kisses upon her skin, Iza trailed her fingers over his arm and leaned back against his chest. “I can keep these things in Catcher’s room if you prefer it.”

“That will not be necessary, my dear,” he whispered, teeth affectionately grazing her earlobe. “I apologize if I’ve offended you.”

“I know you’re not much for _possessions_. But these things mean a great deal to me and Anakin was very sweet to gather them for me.”

“I understand, Iza,” his beard tickled her skin as he nestled his cheek in the crook of her neck. “It was very kind of him, indeed.”

“Please don’t tell him that I complained about bonding.” Iza murmured, nudging his hand into turning over so she could lace their fingers together. “He seems very irritated that I’ve started… _tattling_ on him when I’m upset.”

“You are not the only one who tattles, darling,” letting out a short, quiet laugh Obi-Wan straightened behind her and kissed the top of her head. “Anakin complains quite a bit as well.”

“And what has he got to complain about?” Looking up at him in disbelief, Iza allowed him to start leading her out of the bedroom and past the two men sitting in the living room. Anakin was tinkering with something while Catcher pored over a datapad. Neither of them seemed to notice the pair, but Iza stared hard at the back of Anakin’s head anyway. She watched as he picked his head up like he’d heard something and then turned to look at her curiously, tilting his head slightly in question at the look on her face.

“Going somewhere?” Catcher was the one who spoke, breaking the odd tension between the two.

“For a walk,” Obi-Wan answered, giving Iza a gentle tug. “ _Darling_ ,”

Continuing to stare Anakin down for a long moment until soft realization settled into the younger man’s features and became something akin to sheepishness, she turned her nose up and started to follow again when she felt the all-too familiar tug behind her navel.

“I love you, sweetness,” Anakin’s voice was soft, apologetic.

“Love you too, _di’kut_.” Iza heard the quick rush of breath behind her and knew he had to be shaking his head. _Well_ , at least that seemed to be settled. He was no longer allowed to get fussy about her snitching on him to Obi-Wan if he was going to do the same thing. Pausing again when she realized she didn’t have her boots, Iza started to go for them when the older man stopped her and shook his head.

“You needn’t bother, my dear,” he smiled and gestured to his own bare feet. “I’m not sure if you’ve been down to the beach yet, but it’s dreadfully hard to walk through the sand in boots.”

“Take care not to track any of it into the house.” Anakin muttered from where he sat, making all eyes turn to him. Picking his head up, he looked around and shrugged. “ _What?_ **You** try growing up in a place where there is nothing but sand around and tell me you want it in your home.”

“It _is_ a bit of a hazard on these floors, Little Bit,” Catcher offered a light shrug. “Whoever decided that tile was a good idea was certainly high on something.”

“We will be sure to dust our feet off before we come back into the house.” Exchanging a look with Obi-Wan, Iza snorted and rolled her eyes, walking out of the doors with him trailing behind. Both of them were silent as they wandered down the long hallway that led into the refurbished lobby currently being used as storage. There were plans to turn it into a sort of office area in the future, but nothing had been fully fleshed out yet. Iza had begun making plans for the entire resort’s overhaul but couldn’t seem to keep her ideas in order. She really needed some sort of assistant droid instead of datapads to keep track of her notes. Even now as they walked across the compound, she was quietly planning out new ideas of what to do with the more dilapidated areas of the place and barely even noticed when concrete became soft sand beneath her toes.

“Darling,” Obi-Wan’s gentle voice shook her free from her thoughts and he smiled at the way she stared at him with startled eyes. “You’re very spacey tonight. Is everything okay?”

“I suppose I have a lot on my mind, is all.” Shrugging, Iza gave his fingers a squeeze and looked out at the water lazily rolling up against the shore. It was such a soothing sound to listen to and she’d found that it relaxed her quite deeply. It was nothing like the heavy sounds of traffic back on Coruscant and she was grateful for it. She was grateful for the cleaner air, the lushness of the area and for the sense of peace that it instilled within her. It certainly helped to balance out the darkness and make it easier to manage. Pulling Obi-Wan along with her, she walked closer to the water’s edge until the seafoam tickled their toes and the salty smell of the water made her nostrils tingle. She felt him shake free of her grip and hummed happily as his arms went around her shoulders again, leaning her head into his. “Darling?”

“Yes?” He drew her closer to his chest, one arm sliding around her middle to hold her in place.

“You and Anakin still have plans to assassinate Dooku, correct?”

 _What a question_.

“Er— _yes_ , darling. Why do you ask?”

Pressing her lips together tightly Iza drew in a deep breath that smelled of sea salt and a little like the linen soap on Obi-Wan’s clothes. Letting it out slowly, she tilted her head back to look at him.

“I would like to ask that you wait.”

“Pardon?” He stared down at her, one brow raised in disbelief. “For what reason? I thought you wanted—”

“He has knowledge and skills that I wish to learn. Not of the Sith. I stand by what I said about not dipping into that pool.” Pausing to collect her thoughts, the brunette chewed her bottom lip. “His lightsaber form, for example. And perhaps some of the things he’s taught you.”

“He will not agree to take you on as a pupil, Iza.” Obi-Wan shook his head and pulled back from her, his jaw tightening. “The Count is… _picky_.”

“He has never met me, Obi-Wan. He knows nothing of me aside from my battlefield reputation.”

“I can teach you Makashi if you really want. And I’d be happy to pass on—”

“I need a Master who will not be a distraction, Obi-Wan.” She watched his head swivel to look at her, blue eyes scrutinizing before he scoffed and looked away again. “My love, please don’t take offense.”

“You know nothing of his methods, Iza. Count Dooku would break your spirit.”

“He wouldn’t be the first.”

“Anakin will not approve.” The older man shrugged a shoulder and folded his arms over his chest, a hand coming up to rub at his beard.

“I am not asking Anakin. I am asking _you_.” Iza hadn’t expected this conversation to go well, but she also hadn’t expected him to suddenly go cold like this. “Obi-Wan, I am so far behind in comparison to the two of you. I don’t know how to do half the things you and Anakin can. I deserve—”

“Did you think I was not going to teach you too?” He fixed her with a sharp look that made something clench in her belly. “I apologize if this is not happening as quickly as you’d like it to, but darling—we _just_ got started.”

“I do not _want_ a patient teacher, Obi-Wan. I need one who can keep up with _me_ and _my_ progress, not one who prefers for me to take things one step at a time. I got enough of that out of Master Windu.” Letting out a heavy sigh, Iza turned her hands up. “It took _so_ long for Master Windu to approach the Council about my Trials. I begged and begged because I knew I was ready. _He_ knew I was ready and he still held me back. _You_ of anyone should know how frustrating that feels.”

“You do not know what you are asking for, darling,” he looked as though he wasn’t sure he was offended or outright _hurt_ by her words. “He is not a forgiving man. You will not be allowed the privilege of mistakes.”

“He has put up with Asajj and _her_ mistakes.” Iza snapped, frowning. “What would make _me_ so different?”

“He would not use Asajj as a bargaining chip against me. _That_ is the difference.”

Iza’s shoulders sagged. She didn’t know how to respond to that. She supposed that he had a point. He’d said before that Dooku had wanted him as his apprentice, but he’d also said that the man was one who honored his word. If that were true, then perhaps he _wouldn’t_ use her to keep Obi-Wan by his side. It was hard to tell and she wasn’t sure she wanted to use that argument against him. _Then again…_

“I feel you contemplating something. Out with it.” Obi-Wan’s voice had taken on that authoritarian tone he liked to use whenever he scolded her or Anakin for something and Iza hesitated.

“What exactly are the terms of your agreement with him?”

“I am to train under him until he feels I’m… _complete_ , I suppose. Until I’ve fallen far enough into the Dark Side to accept his Sith teachings. I agreed on the terms that Anakin and you were left out. He was more than happy to agree.”

“Why do I feel like he was only _happy_ to agree about Anakin?” Yeah, she’d _definitely_ felt a ping of something strange when he’d said it. There was a kind of hesitation there, even if he’d spoken as smoothly as he always did. “What aren’t you telling me?”

He didn’t say anything. That was telling enough.

“Asajj was meant to recruit me, wasn’t she? Because _you_ wouldn’t give me up so easily.” Straightening, Iza folded her arms and frowned at him. “The day she showed up on the battlefield was not a coincidence. She was there to throw me out of balance on purpose. She told me I had _fractures_.”

“You already made your decision, darling. You will _not_ go back on that.” Pointing at her, Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes in a hard scowl. “You will stay away from Count Dooku and you will let our plans remain—”

“That is _not_ for you to decide, Obi-Wan!” She wanted to smack that finger but didn’t dare to. It was one thing for her to physically lash out at Catcher or Anakin; she almost didn’t want to know what could happen if she did it to Obi-Wan. “You’ve done _enough_ deciding for me. **_I_** deserve to make this choice.”

“Last I’d checked _you had_ made it.”

“I’m allowed to change my mind.”

“I will not be changing mine.” His eyes had gone so damn cold that the look he gave sent an involuntary shiver down Iza’s spine. “If you pursue this, I will have no choice but—”

“Let me guess— _you’ll sever our bond?_ ” Her teeth were beginning to hurt from the way she ground them together so hard. “You’ll _abandon_ me the way my master did? **_GO AHEAD_** _!!_ Take everything from me, Obi-Wan. Take Anakin and leave if you think it will make you feel better. If you truly think _hurting me_ is the way to get what you want— _just fucking do it_.”

He stared at her for a long time, half in shock. He felt nothing but anger and the kind of hurt he tried to avoid within himself seeping along their bond, but surprisingly—there was no hate to go along with it. The little woman felt very _cold_ , however. Like his words had sent her careening further into her darkness. They likely had. That wasn’t what he’d wanted. He simply wanted to keep her _safe_ , away from the Count who would do much worse to her than this. Opening his mouth to say something, he took a step forward and was surprised when she turned and started to stomp her way down the shoreline.

“ _Darling!_ ” Of course he chased after her, annoyed by the fact that she’d surrounded herself with a shield of Force energy that kept him at a distance so he couldn’t quite catch up. “Iza, _please_ ,”

“You’re a _bastard!_ ” She hollered over her shoulder, giving a kick to the wave that had rolled up over her ankles. “You cannot stand the idea that someone else has seen potential in me! Admit that you couldn’t stand that someone else had seen potential in Anakin either!”

Obi-Wan stopped in his tracks, looking bewildered. When Iza stopped and turned around to face him, he found himself leaning back instinctively as she pointed her finger and waved it violently. Even with the amount of space between them, the tiny woman was a bit intimidating when she was so furious.

“You _have_ to be the one in control all the time and it’s so irritating! I do not enjoy being told what I can and cannot do, Obi-Wan. Anakin may be keen to submit to whatever you ask of him— _but I will **not**!_” She stomped like a child, spraying water and sand everywhere. Thumping her chest with her finger, the brunette gnashed her teeth at him and growled under her breath. “I deserve to grow and to be stronger than this. My Master inhibited my growth and I will _not_ allow you to do it to me. You do not _own_ me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I **love** you. I will spend my life with you if that is what you desire. But I will **_not_** bend to your will.”

“All right,” he said it so quietly he wasn’t sure if she heard it over the sound of the waves. “I yield.”

“You will _stop_ using our love as a bargaining chip,” Iza sucked down a breath that sounded suspiciously like a sob. The shield of energy had faded around her but Obi-Wan wasn’t sure if it was safe to approach her yet. “You don’t know how much it **hurts** when you do that to me. I do not understand how you can be so cruel, Obi-Wan.”

He went to her then, cautiously crossing the space between them to cup her face in his hands and press his lips to the center of her forehead. He grunted when she gave a weak smack to his abdomen, silently grateful she hadn’t hit his chest. While the wound had healed, it was still ridiculously sensitive to more than just a gentle touch.

“I apologize, darling,” it wasn’t enough and he knew it but he didn’t know what else to say. “I suppose I am not used to a lover as passionate and argumentative as you.”

“Sithspit,” sniffling, the brunette curled in towards him and grasped at his tunic. “Anakin can be just as bad.”

“Oh no,” he couldn’t stop the laugh that left him. “Anakin is nowhere near as terrible as you, darling.”

“I do not enjoy being controlled. And I especially do not enjoy being threatened in the manner that you like to threaten me.”

Gently tipping her head so she would look at him, Obi-Wan gazed into her eyes for a long moment and leaned in to press a sweet kiss to her lips, resting his forehead to hers.

“Forgive me.” He had no excuses. Not really. He could tell her that his past experiences had led him to develop a bad habit of pulling away without mercy, or that being in control of someone else was the only way he felt in control of _himself_. But she’d already managed to figure out so much on her own that she likely already knew these things. No; she did not need his excuses.

“If you do this one more time, I’m—” Iza was cut off by another gentle kiss, one that felt both apologetic and like a plea for her to not make that promise. She supposed she understood. It was not fun to have someone you loved and cared for so deeply threaten to take everything and go. While she’d like to argue that giving him a taste of his own damn medicine was what he deserved, she knew better. He would likely suffer enough knowing that he’d very nearly ruined everything over something quite trivial, and that seemed to be punishment enough. He was not fully to blame and she knew that too, but Iza was tired of backing down from things she truly wanted. She wanted to believe she knew what she’d be getting herself into by approaching Count Dooku for training, and she would definitely put her best efforts into making sure she didn’t screw the whole thing up. But Obi-Wan’s words had planted the tiniest seed of doubt in her mind about the man. If he was as vicious as he sounded, perhaps this was _not_ a good idea after all. She supposed she would just have to see.

“Let me be the one to talk to Anakin,” Obi-Wan said after a while, smoothing his hands back into her hair. “If he is to take his rage out on someone, I would rather it be me.”

“I will need to inform Catcher as well.” Iza looked as though that was the last thing she wanted to do. She wasn’t entirely sure how the man would take the information, but she doubted that he’d jump for joy over it.

“Will you be joining me on the sofa when we’re ultimately kicked out of the collective beds, then?” He knew he shouldn’t joke, but Obi-Wan wanted to lighten the mood a bit. Judging by the way Iza snickered, she shared the sentiment.

“I suppose I will.” Heaving a sigh, she leaned in and settled her head on his chest, finally slipping her arms around his waist. For a while, she just listened to his heartbeat and his breathing until it fell into sync with hers, calming her to her very core. She was thankful for it, really. Iza hated nothing more than fighting with any of them this viciously. After a while, she became aware of the sensation of fingertips sliding along her lower back and wondered when he’d gotten his hands beneath her shirt. Tipping her head to nuzzle at his chin, Iza pressed a kiss to the underside and smiled faintly. “What are you up to, Kenobi?”

“Nothing at all, darling,” he murmured back, sweeping his fingers a little higher. “Just thinking.”

“Mm,” Iza twisted the hem of his tunic between her fingers and pressed her lips to the side of his neck, smiling when she heard the soft intake of breath that followed. “About what, my love?”

“How I’m going to present you to the Count, actually.” Shutting his eyes, Obi-Wan tilted his head just so, allowing her a bit more room as she began sucking lightly at the skin and giving slow scrapes of her teeth against the mark she was raising. It made it difficult to concentrate, but he managed well enough. “I ask that you give the dust time to settle in the house before we go to see him. I’m not due for a meeting for at least another two weeks, anyhow.”

“I’m surprised he hasn’t immediately requested your presence,” slowly running her tongue over the patch of skin she’d chosen to mark, Iza nestled closer to him and gave a teasing nip. “You killed his master, after all. The big bad _Sith Lord_. One would think he’d have words of congratulations for you. _Especially_ since he wishes to take you on as his Second.”

“You really mustn’t speak so lightly of Sidious, my sweet,” despite the soft, chiding tone, Obi-Wan seemed to be having a fair bit of trouble maintaining any sort of seriousness at all. His breathing had picked up a fraction and he’d started pawing lightly at her back, nails occasionally dragging across the skin. “And Dooku is not the man you want if _praise_ is something you seek.”

“That’s what I have _you_ for,” _Oh Force,_ she was going to— “ ** _Master Kenobi_** _._ ”

“You dreadful little brat,” bowing his head against her shoulder, he bit gently into the top of it and growled deep in his chest as Iza’s teeth sank into the mark she’d left on his neck.

“Do you see?” She’d slipped her hands beneath his tunic and was tracing mindless shapes over his skin, raising goosebumps in her wake. “Do you see why I cannot ask you to teach me, darling? Look what you become when I address you that way. We would spend all of our time like this and get nothing else done.”

“Perhaps if you did not say it in such a wicked way, this would not be the case.” That was a lie. He knew it and so did she. She could say it with the anger of a thousand suns in her voice and he’d still get harder than durasteel.

“It stirs your beast when _Anakin_ says it,” Iza smirked up at him when he pulled back to give her a wide-eyed look. “Oh—did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“Such a _terrible_ little thing you are,” leaning in to press his forehead to hers, Obi-Wan stole a deep kiss and nipped sharply at her bottom lip. “I really _must_ instill discipline within you, darling.”

“Empty threats,” she poked her tongue out at him and breathed out a groan when he drew it into his mouth and sucked at it. Sagging into his chest with a whine, Iza tensed lightly and started to lift some of her weight away when he hauled her back.

“You needn’t be so delicate,” he murmured against her lips, one hand boldly dipping beneath the waist of her loose trousers to give her ass a good squeeze. “I will tell you when something is uncomfortable.”

“I do not want to hurt you,” she’d avoided putting her hands on Anakin’s back for the same reason. While Iza fully understood that both of her lovers would indeed let her know when they were uncomfortable with something, she also didn’t want to overstep the threshold by mistake.

“I assure you that you will not.” Trailing kisses down the curve of her jaw, his other hand slipped higher on her back and pulled her tighter against his chest as if to prove a point. “You have asked us time and time again not to treat you like glass. You must now return the favor, darling.”

That was fair. She really couldn’t find a reason to argue against that. He clearly wasn’t going to give her the chance to either. The kisses he’d scattered across her skin gave way to tiny nips of his teeth and when she squirmed against him in response, he let out a harsh sound and kneaded his fingers in the soft flesh of her hip.

“This is quite possibly the _worst_ place for this,” he grumbled, picking his head up to look around. “All this fucking _sand_ …”

“You too?” Iza couldn’t help snickering at him and got a dark look in return. “I’m _teasing_.”

“I know you are not well traveled, my darling girl, but I do know you’ve seen enough battlegrounds to know what a nuisance sand can be.” He shot her a knowing look before glancing around again, giving her a nudge and pulling his hand from her trousers. “Come, we can use the starship.”

“You and the damn starship,” rolling her eyes, Iza allowed him to pull her along behind him.

“I could simply leave you wanting, darling. There is that option.”

“I have the feeling _you_ are the one who would suffer the most from that decision,” looking up at him with the faintest of smiles on her lips, the brunette fought to keep it from becoming a grin. “I can feel just how bad you want to _discipline_ me, Master Kenobi.”

“You be quiet.”

“ _Make me_ ,”

Obi-Wan stopped dead in his tracks, tongue poking into his cheek as he spent a good five seconds contemplating his next move. With a soft snort, he snatched her off of her feet and carried her off towards a cluster of trees, setting her back down and giving her shoulder a good push to urge her onto her knees. Surprised, Iza dropped without question and stared up at him as he hooked his thumbs in the waist of his trousers and slipped them far enough off his hips to free his cock. Taking it in his hand, he wrapped his fingers in the silk of her hair and pulled her closer, brushing the head against her lips.

“ _Mouth_.”

Iza’s lips fell open at the sheer demand in the word and her eyes went a little wide as he slid as much of himself past them as he could before she was lifting restraining hands up to stop him. There was a moment where she felt him attempting to read her and she watched as one brow went up high on his head.

“Hold up one finger for _continue_ , two for _slow_ and three for _stop_.” His voice was damn rough, but it was nice to know he still gave a shit. “Which is it?”

The brunette held up a single finger and gave a tentative suck, whining when he pulled at her hair and eased more of his cock into her mouth. A second finger went up and he slowed, but the impatience showed clear as day on his face. Iza knew she could take it— _wanted_ to, even—but she would have liked to have been able to set the pace herself. She heard another muffled growl from above and put her hand down, not surprised when he finished cramming the rest of his length into her mouth. Swallowing around the head, she sucked in slow, demanding pulls, fingers digging into the sand beneath her when he’d pull at her hair and rock his hips forward. She did her best to work her tongue around him, taking note of the spots that caused him to hiss through his teeth and swear at her. She’d never admit to being grateful when he eased back so only the head remained on her tongue, though she was sure he knew it by the way she paid such careful attention to the sweet spot just below it.

“Breathe,” his commands were so damn curt and unlike him and Iza was almost afraid to look up at him for fear that she wouldn’t find the same man standing above her. Obi-Wan could be a real bastard when the mood struck him, but he rarely ever put a sense of mistrust and unease in her. But when his hips surged forward without warning and drove his cock deep into her throat before she had a chance to prepare herself, Iza choked on a startled cry and grabbed for his ankles. The soft stroke of his hand down the side of her face drew her gaze upward and she felt something warm and comforting slip in along their bond as he backed off a bit and set a slightly gentler pace. He didn’t apologize—not verbally. But he became a little more careful with his actions, even as his breathing picked up and he began snarling filth down at her.

“ _All of it_ ,” he sounded so damn beastly as he tightened his hold on her hair and pulled her forward until her lips touched the base. He held her there for a moment, watching the way her eyelids fluttered shut while she dug her nails into his ankles, waiting until he was sure she was going to signal for him to ease back before he did it on his own. _Fuck_ , he shouldn’t have enjoyed the way she seemed to gasp for air when he pulled back, but he supposed it was no better than taking pleasure out of the sheer amount of saliva dripping down her chin and the underside of his cock. He knew that she’d have put an end to the game long before it got this far if she truly hadn’t wanted to play. He trusted her to know her limits, and that she trusted _him_ to mind them when things were not soft and gentle. The poor thing; her jaw must’ve been killing her by now. If she continued with the enthusiastic sucking, she would not have to wait long for relief. A very large part of Obi-Wan wanted to pull back and make her stop, to draw this out and see just how long he could keep her in such a subservient position before she started pleading for her own release. The other part really wanted to come down her throat and make her thank him for the privilege.

“Look at me,”

Obeying, Iza lifted her peridot gaze to his and was startled by the dark look of need on his face. His chest was heaving and the almost boyish flush on his cheeks made her wonder just how much longer he was going to last. Her jaw and mouth were definitely in need of a break, but she wasn’t about to quit now. Not when she could feel him getting harder and hotter against her tongue with every rough thrust of his hips. He would likely find some horrible way of punishing her if she even tried pulling back, anyway. It wouldn’t be physical. Obi-Wan hadn’t shown much of an interest in physical punishment outside of the occasional spanking. But she had no doubt that he would stoop low enough to keep her feeling needy and then instruct both Anakin and Catcher not to provide her relief. He would know if she tried to take matters into her own hands as well. Damn Force bonds. Yeah—a little jaw pain was worth it to not be on the receiving end of a punishment.

“That’s my girl. _Slow_ …” Obi-Wan pulled his hips back, watching the way Iza’s cheeks hollowed as his cock slid from her mouth. Gnashing his teeth against a growl as she followed his command and steadied her pace a bit, he sucked in a sharp breath at the rush of sensation sizzling up his cock as the throbbing ache burst into a hot, liquid fire that coursed through his veins. He held her head in place and cursed roughly as he shoved himself deep and came. _Hard._

Iza froze, her eyes widening with uncertainty and a little bit of panic. Her fingers gripped at his ankles and she likely would have whimpered if she’d been able to.

“Swallow,” he wheezed, easing back a fraction. She did, and Obi-Wan watched her swollen mouth and throat work. A heavy groan welled in his chest, followed by a sharp intake of breath through clenched teeth when she continued licking at him as he softened on her tongue. “ _Darling_ ,”

Iza let him pull her off of his cock, trying not to breathe too heavily as she sat back and watched him tug his trousers back into place. Her jaw ached terribly and her lips felt so swollen, but she would not complain as she sat there patiently and waited for his next command. What she got was a funny little half-smile and a quiet hum before he reached out and used his sleeve to clean the spittle from her chin.

“You’ve made quite the mess of yourself, my sweet,” he palmed the underside of her chin and gently massaged the aching points in her jaw, his smile widening and warming a bit. “Are you all right, darling?”

She nodded, managing a dazed sort of smile. She took the hand he offered and stumbled a bit as she got to her feet, looking startled by how weak her knees were.

“I’ve got you,” planting affectionate kisses against her cheek he pulled her in closer and raised an eyebrow. “Would you prefer to continue out here or would you rather go to the starship?”

“Am I allowed?” _Boy,_ her voice was rough. The question was so damn innocent but the rasp in her tone damn near had him getting hard all over again.

“ _My girl_ ,” Obi-Wan could not keep from tipping her chin up to kiss her properly, giving her swollen bottom lip a suck and a wicked sharp bite when he pulled back. “Of course you are allowed.”

Iza didn’t know if she wanted to walk all the way to the makeshift hangar where the starship had been docked, but she also didn’t feel like getting sand in places sand had no business being. Twisting her fingers in the front of his tunic, she gave a light tilt of her head in the direction of the main building.

“What about…?”

“I’m not sure we’d make it two steps inside before we were accosted, darling,” running a fingertip along the swell of her chin, Obi-Wan hummed thoughtfully. “I fear your outburst may have riled up the others.”

She gave such a pitiful whine, then. She hadn’t _meant_ to, but the idea that Anakin and Catcher might actually be waiting somewhere in the building to find out what had caused such a ruckus along their bonds frustrated her to no end. Obi-Wan did his best to silence her with a soft kiss, sliding a hand beneath the waist of her pants to cup her gently between her thighs. The moment his fingers made contact with her flesh, he let out a quiet noise of surprise and leaned back to look at her, eyes wide in wonder at how _slick_ she was. Brushing the tip of one finger tentatively against her clit, his whole face seemed to light up at the way she trembled and turned to bury her face against his chest to smother the cry that followed.

“ _Goodness_ , darling,” _oh_ , how he wished they had more time to explore the potential fun they could have with this level of sensitivity she seemed to have. “Look at you,”

“I can’t walk all the way to the hangar, Obi-Wan,” she wasn’t going to be able to remain standing for very long if he didn’t stop touching her, either.

“No, I don’t think you can.” Wetting his bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, he glanced around for a moment and withdrew his hand, nudging her belly to get her to back her up against one of the trees. “Stand here, darling,”

Iza did as she was told, watching him curiously as he tugged her tunic up until she had to raise her arms so he could pull it off over her head. The soft brush of his fingers over one of her nipples made her gasp and arch her chest forward to encourage more of the touch. Obi-Wan simply hummed in thought before dipping his head and closing his lips around the stiff peak, sucking hungrily until the brunette dragged her fingers through his hair and held tight to the roots. He switched from one breast to the other, gently tugging with his teeth until her breathing picked up and she was squirming to try and rub her hips against his. Planting his palm against her belly again, he pressed her flat against the tree and looked up at her with a small shake of his head. Pulling back just enough to speak, he swirled the pad of his tongue around her nipple and growled at the tug to his hair.

“Patience, darling. You want it to last a little while, don’t you?” Perhaps the look in her eye should’ve been enough warning but somehow, he was still startled when Iza grabbed hold of the front of his shirt and yanked him to his knees. He might not have yielded so easily had she not held such a large amount of his hair in her other hand as well. He wondered, faintly, if she’d been this surprised when he’d done nearly the same thing as he watched her get her pants down and step out of them.

“What did I say about _patience?_ ”

 _Oh._ Right.

“I’m afraid there’s really nowhere for me to lie down, my dear,” _excuses_ ; he was going to taunt her with them as freely as he liked. _He_ was still in control, after all.

“Don’t care,” Iza stepped forward and angled his head back, shivering involuntarily at the brush of facial hair against the insides of her thighs. Tipping her hips forward, she shot him a look. “ _Mouth._ ”

Force help him if his dick didn’t stir at the command. Running his fingers up along the sides of her legs, he raised an eyebrow.

“What do you say?”

“ ** _Now_** _._ ”

Groaning, he leaned in, resting his cheek against her thigh as he closed his eyes and slipped his tongue out from between his lips to lap at her. He took his time, swirling his tongue over creamy flesh and sucking at her to make her squeal and curl her toes.

“ _Fuck_ , that’s good,” a whine resonated in her throat when she felt the vibrations of a growl against her sensitive flesh. She might’ve snapped at him to stop fussing about her swearing, but Iza could only concentrate on one thing for the moment. A particularly slow pass of his tongue had her cranking herself up onto her toes, biting down hard on her bottom lip as she fought not to pull too viciously at his hair. “ _Obi-Wan_ ,”

Chuckling, the older man pushed Iza’s thighs farther apart, pressing his mouth as close as he could and stabbing his tongue deep. Sweet Maker, this girl was drenched. Her taste filled his mouth, tempted him into taking more. Clutching the backs of the young woman’s thighs, he pulled her closer until she lost balance and had to throw a hand back and brace it against the tree behind her. He heard her shout something at him and promptly ignored it. Obi-Wan’s pace increased a little and he switched it up, mixing long, dragging licks with deep thrusts of his tongue.

“ _Stop_ ,”

There was really no reason for the heavy sense of rage he felt at being pulled away from her and yet, he was both bewildered and _pissed off_ when she tugged his hair and lifted away from his mouth. He couldn’t explain why he’d given such an outraged yell, either. Perhaps because he’d known she was nearly on the brink of orgasm and she’d taken away his privilege of giving it to her. Looking up to find her gazing back with an amused look on her face, he scowled and damn near threw a handful of sand like a petulant child.

“Why?” He asked finally, chest heaving. He wasn’t sure he liked the way her eyes glittered in the limited light surrounding them.

“ _Patience, darling_ ,”

“Oh, you filthy, wretched little—”

Iza cut him off by pulling him back between her legs, muffling whatever rude thing he’d wanted to call her. Obi-Wan felt like he was going out of his mind. He’d never expected her to turn the tables like this. He knew she was more than happy to submit to him and his perverse little games, but she’d shown little interest in behaving this way aside from a few snappy moments brought about by frustration. But then again, most submissive parties had a bit of a dominant streak in them and Iza’s was coming out now as she ground against his mouth in a silent demand for him to finish her off. His dominant side would never admit it, but this was turning him on so fucking bad that he was willing to bet his balls were already blue. They certainly ached enough. When she pulled roughly at his hair again, he submitted with another heavy moan. Closing his eyes, he slid his tongue out from between his lips and lapped at her, sucking her wet flesh until she squealed.

“Oh… that’s it…” she hissed above him, rolling her hips. “ _Master Kenobi_ …”

He shivered. The feeling of being pretty much forced to get her off with his mouth made him hot and her whimpering praises and tugs to his hair were enough to make him want to give her more. He could feel her other hand sliding into his hair, nails scratching his scalp as she cupped the back of his head.

“Just a little more,” she murmured, mewling. “ _Force_ , that feels so good.”

The Bastard side of him wanted to deny her release, but he didn’t want to piss her off. Drinking in the hot juices that practically dripped from her, he reached up and grabbed her ass, bringing her even closer to his mouth. He fucked her with his long tongue, angling his head just right so his teeth dragged over her clit. Above him, she keened and tossed her head back. Redoubling his efforts until he felt his jaw starting to ache, he shot a quick look up at her and growled when their gazes locked; a silent command for her to come.

She didn’t disappoint him.

Folding, Iza lost her grip on his hair and scrabbled to grab his shoulders instead, hollering out her release in a heavy cry of his name that echoed across the beach. She felt his hands grab hold of her waist when she pitched forward on shaky legs, her knees colliding with his shoulders hard enough to knock him back onto the sand and take the wind out of him. He’d lifted her off of his face at some point; she could feel the fabric of his tunic against her thighs as she shivered and whimpered while the tremor of her orgasm continued to run through her. Gasping at the touch of his hand on her face, Iza let her eyes come back into focus and found him looking up at her with light concern in his features. His thumb swept along the scar on her cheek as he raised an eyebrow.

“Too much?” He teased, a soft smile playing on his lips.

“Did you…?”

“Use the Force?” There was something in his eyes that suggested he may have, but wasn’t going to tell her the truth. “What gave you that idea?”

“ _Fiend_.”

“Sometimes, yes.” Smiling wider, he sighed and gave her thigh a pat. “Darling, I must ask you to get up.”

Realizing she was perched in the center of his chest, Iza rushed to get to her feet as quickly and as carefully as she could. Waiting until he’d gotten up, she began to gather up her clothes, shaking the sand from them and making a face.

“Anakin is not going to be pleased,” she mumbled as she began pulling her trousers back on, followed by her shirt.

“Just be sure to shower before you get into the bed and he will not fuss.” Taking a moment to shake off the sand from his clothes as well, Obi-Wan eyed her and pulled her close with a soft groan, tipping her head up to kiss her roughly. “ _You_ are a wicked thing, my darling.”

“I told you what would happen the next time you mentioned _patience_ , Obi-Wan,” giving him a look, Iza nipped his bottom lip and reached up to playfully tug the ends of his beard, raising a brow at how damp the hairs were. “You’ve made a mess of yourself.”

“ _You’ve_ made a mess of me.” He wagged his finger at her. “That will not work the same way.”

“You better wash your face before you have your conversation with Anakin,” she snorted, slipping her arm around his waist before nudging him towards the path leading back to the main building. “He will not take you seriously if you smell so heavily of me.”

“On the contrary,” Obi-Wan shot her a look. “He may listen _better_ if I smell so heavily of you. I seem to have lost quite a bit of hold over that boy.”

“You’ve lost nothing, Obi-Wan,” pursing her lips, Iza paused and looked up at him. “He still loves and respects you very much.”

“I’m aware.”

“If the intimacy between the two of you has waned since I came into the picture, just _say_ something and I’ll give you two your space. It is no different than me asking for time alone with Catcher.”

“My dear, sweet girl,” smiling, he pinched her chin and brought her in for a kiss. “I assure you— _that_ is not the problem. Anakin has simply taken on a bit of _your_ rebellious nature. It’s just a byproduct of the bond. You, in turn, have become a bit of a tattletale.”

“And what have I taken from _you?_ ”

“I believe we’ve just witnessed what you’ve taken from me, _Master Tacor_.” Chucking her playfully beneath the chin with a wink, Obi-Wan pulled her along beside him and laughed quietly.

Iza almost wanted to ask him what he might have gained from her end of the bond, but they were about to cross paths with a group of Clones coming up from another end of the beach. Several of them exchanged looks with one another before lightly saluting and giving nods.

“General,”

None of them would really look either of the Dark Jedi in the eye and it confused her for a moment. Beside her, Obi-Wan continued his soft chuckling even as they made their way into the building. Once inside, she gave his tunic a tug and frowned.

“What was _that_ about?”

“Oh— _darling_ ,” he flashed a grin and started up the stairs. “You do know you’re quite loud, right? I’m sure the whole compound heard you.”

“That’s fantastic.” Maybe she should’ve sucked it up and just let him take her to the starship. _Sheesh_. “First Rex, now the others. I’m on a fucking roll today.”

Reaching back to give her backside a quick swat, Obi-Wan gestured for her to go into what they were affectionately referring to as _the apartment_. They were greeted by Anakin and Catcher, both of whom looked a little sour. Upon seeing the deep frown on Catcher’s lips, Iza’s shoulders sagged. Anakin seemed more interested in scowling at Obi-Wan to really pay much attention to her, though she did notice his eyes flick over when she sauntered further into the room.

“Explain,” the younger Dark Jedi snapped as soon as the doors had slid shut behind his companions.

“I’d rather do this in private.” Obi-Wan folded his arms, casting a look at Iza, who stared down at her feet while fidgeting with the sleeve of her tunic.

“We could hear the two of you arguing all the way up here,” Catcher grumbled, hazel-tinged brown eyes focused solely on the brunette. “I think _privacy_ is moot.”

“Plans have changed,” if they wanted to discuss it now, then they would discuss it now. Obi-Wan was tired of skirting around shit at this point. “Iza needs a chance to catch up in her teachings and I believe she could benefit from—”

“ _You’re not serious?_ ” Anakin got to his feet and looked as though he might come over the back of the couch. “You’re going to let Dooku take her as a pupil? What happened to the agreement, Obi-Wan?”

“I’m not even sure he _will_ take her, Anakin,” waving a hand, Obi-Wan thinned his lips. “But she is just as aware of his curiosity in her as we are. Perhaps it would be beneficial to explore that.”

“His _curiosity_ in her almost got her assaulted, Obi-Wan.”

“I… do not believe it was Asajj’s intention to put her in such a situation on purpose.” The older man hesitated as he spoke, eyes lowering to the floor. “You do not know her the way that I do. She is far from innocent, but I do not believe she would have allowed Omir to—”

“What about the fact that she threatened to do it herself?” Anakin spat, throwing a hand out towards Iza. “She flat out _told_ Iza she was going to have her one way or the other.”

“I think… perhaps…” now he really was hesitating. Mostly because Iza was still standing beside him and he didn’t want to say anything that might upset her. “Her words were misinterpreted.”

“Little Bit?” Catcher was on his feet suddenly, coming around the couch to gather the brunette in his arms. “Sweetheart?”

Iza stared blankly ahead, eyes glassy and vacant like she’d fully checked out. She flinched horribly at the touch of his hand on her face and looked up like she hadn’t even noticed he’d embraced her, drawing in a sharp breath to get some air into her lungs. She wasn’t sure when she’d stopped breathing or why. All she knew was that she’d started thinking about what Obi-Wan had said about Asajj’s words being _misinterpreted_ and she’d gone completely numb. Perhaps he was right? It would explain why the woman hadn’t actually made any moves to physically assault her and why she’d released her once Omir was dead. Maybe her mind had been so jumbled by the feeling of being betrayed that she’d just… _imagined_ it?

“Hey,” Catcher’s deep, accented voice pulled her attention again. Those pretty eyes of his were full of so much concern. Leaning down, he gently knocked his forehead against hers and laced his fingers with hers. “What do you need?”

“Permission,” she answered, not entirely sure why that had been the first thing to come out of her mouth. Getting a quiet laugh in return, she shut her eyes when he sighed heavily.

“Will it help you?” He was still learning about all of this. He knew enough about Count Dooku to know he didn’t like the man. He knew enough about Asajj Ventress to know that he would’ve liked to wring her neck if he ever got the chance. But he also knew that his Little Bit had a very new side of herself that needed taming, and if this bastard of a man could help her do that, then he might just have to let it happen.

“Yes,” she nodded and heard Anakin scoff somewhere in the room. “I promise, I’m not going for his Sith teachings. I swore to you that I wouldn’t cross that line.”

What choice did he have?

“Okay.” Catcher gave another light nudge of his head against hers. “You have my blessing.”

“And you?” Obi-Wan gestured to Anakin. “Are you going to continue throwing a fit when you know it will be the same damn thing I’ve been doing for the last few years?”

“What if he—”

“Then we’ll go through with what we already had planned, Anakin. _Honestly_ ,” he shot the other man a hard look. “Do you think I would make the decision lightly?”

“I think you’d let her fuck her way into changing your mind, yes.” Folding his arms across his chest, the younger man clenched his jaw. “If it weren’t for the fact that the argument came first, I would think she’d done just that.”

“I’m standing right here,” Iza frowned and leaned into Catcher’s chest. “I had to fight for this, thank you. I’ll spare you the details, _cyar’ika_. But I’ll tell you the same thing I told him—I _deserve_ a chance to grow and be as strong as you. Dooku is a convenience and that is _all_.”

“He dies the minute you’re done with your training.” Anakin muttered, dropping back into his seat with a growl. “And if you start sniffing around anything that even _remotely_ sounds like Sith shit—”

“You do not want to have this argument with me, _cyar’ika_ ,” Iza warned, shooting him a dark look. “Not when I know the things that I know. Just give me your blessing and we’ll call it a fucking night.”

“Fine. Take it.”

“ _Thank you_.” Heaving an annoyed sigh, Iza shook her head and muttered something under her breath before shaking her head. “I’m going to take a shower. I feel like there is sand everywhere when I know there isn’t.”

“I told you.” Anakin piped, looking like he was trying not to smirk when she looked at him.

“ _I told you_.” She mocked, rolling her eyes. Grabbing Catcher’s hand, the brunette started to pull him along behind her. “Come on. You can help me get this mess out of my hair.”

“ _Yes sir.”_


	30. Sign On the Dotted Line

“You want to test my blood?” Catcher looked confused as he watched Iza rub a towel over her body before she bent to wrap her hair up in it. “What for?”

“I explained that part, Catch,” smiling some as she wrapped a second towel around herself, the brunette folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the edge of the sink. “It’s to check your Midi-chlorian levels.”

“Uh huh,” winding his own towel around his waist, he gestured for her to follow him out of the washroom to his bedroom where they could continue the conversation. Once inside, he went to his wardrobe and retrieved a tunic for her to wear. She would have to go without pants for the moment. Even his blacks would be too large on her.

“Love, it’s entirely up to you.” Taking the tunic with a soft smile of thanks, Iza swapped her towel out for it and let her hair down from the other one before sitting down on the edge of his bed. “If you’re not interested, I won’t bring it up again.”

“I just don’t understand the point, is all,” shrugging as he got dressed, Catcher gathered their used towels and set them on a chair in the corner before joining her. “I thought we knew I was… _whatever?_ ”

Iza smiled at him fondly, unable to stop the soft giggle that bubbled in her throat as she leaned over and gently knocked her head against his. She really did adore his indifference over whether or not he was Force Sensitive or not. She felt that most Clones would jump at the chance to find out whether or not they could keep up with the likes of the Jedi or other Force users, but not Catcher. His interest in it stemmed only from his interest in _her_ , which made it even more endearing in her eyes.

“I suppose the only point would be confirmation, my love,” taking his hand, she turned it over and traced a slow circle in the center of his palm. “You and I know what we feel and that’s good enough. Knowing your levels would help to know just how much you’d be able to _learn_. But you’ve said many times you’re not interested in silly magic tricks, and that’s fine with me. You should not have to worry yourself sick over things like Light and Dark.”

“But I already worry about those things,” he tilted his head to look at her, frowning. “Maybe not for my own sake, but yours.”

“I know,” Iza dropped her voice to a low whisper and switched from circles to drawing hearts over his skin. “I have been very selfish with you.”

“Because I haven’t been selfish with you?”

“You… are very forgiving, Catcher,” bringing her gaze up to his, Iza frowned lightly. “There are times when I’m still surprised you have not walked out on me for my selfishness.”

“What are you talking about?” It was his turn to frown, his brow creasing lightly in the center as he tilted his head further. “Just because you make me angry sometimes doesn’t mean I’m going to _leave_ , Little Bit.”

“I know how much it hurt you when I told you about Anakin and Obi-Wan.”

“Yes, and we’ve worked past it. The arrangement suits everyone. Sweetheart,” pulling his hand from her grasp, he hauled her onto his lap and gently lifted her chin so he could continue looking her in the eye. “You have never questioned my loyalty to you before. What is this?”

She found she couldn’t answer him. She didn’t want to tell him that she feared he’d do what Obi-Wan had and threaten to take his love and go the next time she behaved in a selfish manner. The two of them were so _used_ to each other that neither of them had ever really noticed when the other was acting that way; it’d become such a natural thing and they’d accepted it. But things were different with the other two and she was reprimanded for her behaviors in ways she wasn’t accustomed to. It’d put a fear in her that wasn’t there before and that fear had leaked into her relationship with Catcher, no matter how hard she’d fought to keep it at bay.

“What have they done?” Catcher’s tone went cold and his features hardened as he stroked his thumb against her cheek. “Which one, Little Bit?”

 _Damn Force bonds_.

“Don’t,” she rushed forward a little too quickly when she knocked her head against his, pulling a grunt from him. “I do not want to cause problems.”

“Tell me what they’ve done,” his fingers slid into her hair and cupped the back of her head. “You can’t tell me they’ve done _nothing_. I felt how cold you became earlier when you argued with Kenobi.”

“Empty threats.” Were they, though? “Just stupid, empty threats.”

“Empty enough to throw you off balance like that?”

“Catcher, _please_ ,”

“Skywalker asked me why I don’t trust them. This— _this_ is why, Little Bit. For all the love I know they have for you, there’s just something that feels so… _contractual_ about it.” Catcher really tried not to scowl as he spoke, a fine muscle working in his jaw as he took a deep breath and planted a firm kiss to the middle of her forehead. “I don’t say this to upset you or to try and sway you into leaving them. I know how happy you are. I just worry.”

“Are _you_ happy?” Iza reached up to run her fingers along his jaw, tipping her head back to look at him. She got a warm smile—one of her _favorites_ of his—and a gentle kiss in response.

“I have everything I want. Of course I’m happy.”

“Everything?”

“I suppose the room could use a better paint job and maybe a bigger bed,” looking around, he shrugged and then looked back at her, still smiling. “But this is what we wanted. Our freedom and each other. We have it, Little Bit. _I’m happy_.”

“I swear sometimes, I don’t deserve you.”

“ _You stop that_.” Tapping her nose with a finger, Catcher made a face. “You said yourself that it was the _will of the Force_. Your devilry might not mean much to us Clones, but it means something to _you_ and that’s enough for _me_ , sweetheart.”

“You are not very difficult to please,” Iza probably shouldn’t have felt so relieved by that. Perhaps she _had_ been spoiled by him. Loving Catcher and keeping him happy had been so easy to do. Keeping up with the other two could be quite exhausting at times, even if it was very rewarding. She loved them just as deeply, of course, and wouldn’t trade them for anything in the galaxy. She just never imagined that _love_ could keep her on her toes like this.

“I leave that part to _you_ , Little Bit,” grinning, Catcher braced himself for a swat that never came. Instead, he was treated to an unamused purse of the lips and slow roll of the eyes before Iza sighed at him and rested her forehead to his. He would take that, too. While their little play fights could be _fun_ at times, he much preferred her when she was docile and sweet. It reminded him so much of when they’d first met. He missed that part of her, sometimes. Content to simply sit there with her on his lap while occasionally nuzzling his nose across hers, he smiled when she drew him in for the first soft kiss. The second one was deeper and full of those quiet, sweet sighs she typically saved for when they were snuggled up together in a bunk, trying to avoid getting caught. The hand that still cradled her head slipped to the back of her neck and gave a light squeeze, fingers tangling in the wet locks of hair at the base of her skull to tug them until she whined against his mouth.

“You must be gentle, Catch,” she shifted on his lap, easing a leg over his thighs to straddle him. Her fingers skimmed up the sides of his bare torso and over his shoulders and she sucked down a shivery breath when he wound his arm around her middle and pulled her flush against his chest.

“Will you bond with me?” He never really knew how to ask. It felt a lot like asking for some kind of lewd sexual favor out loud, only more embarrassing somehow.

“Get the blacks down first,” moving so she could stand while he did this, Iza cupped his face in her hands and pulled him in for another deep kiss, smiling when he took her by the waist to guide her back down onto his lap. She contemplated removing the borrowed tunic, but was almost too caught up in the way he had begun dragging his tongue over hers to want to bother. Only when he pulled back and lifted the thing up to her shoulders did she gather it in her hands to pull it off the rest of the way. She matched his lazy smile and rose up on her knees to let him center himself, taking him slowly as she settled back down onto his lap with a heavy moan. The next kiss was more hurried and a little on the rough side, but his hands were gentle as they grasped her hips to guide her into a slow, steady pace.

Running her fingers over the strong muscles of his arms, Iza nudged him into lacing their fingers together, fitting her palms against his just right. The next roll of her hips had her pressing her chest snug into his and she let out an amused sound when he bowed his head to rest it against hers. That all-too familiar tingle had started in the places they were linked and she felt their breathing fall into sync before she brushed her lips against his and got a low groan in response.

“Relax, Catch,” she knew asking that of him _right now_ was a lot, but he’d been the one who wanted to bond. “You must let me have you.”

Swallowing, he nodded as much as he could and did his best to focus on _her_ ; her body, her scent, her breathing. It all served to ease the tension and nervousness he sometimes felt when they did this and made it much easier to concentrate on the bright blue light that invaded his mind’s eye. Giving an involuntary shudder when that light wound itself around the soft amber glow of his own faint Force energy, Catcher heard himself make an indescribable sound that was followed by Iza’s lilting giggle. The twin lights guided him to a place he’d grown fond of visiting, but could not see on his own. A cottage—he supposed it was a cottage, anyway—set deep in an area of forest so thick with trees that the light was blocked out everywhere but above. Lush grass grew waist high and parted in a well-worn path leading to a single stone bench where he knew he could usually find the brunette waiting for him.

“ _Catcher_ ,”

He was on his back in the grass with her above him, the ends of her hair tickling his cheeks as she rocked slowly into him. He tried to reach for her and found his hands already occupied by her palms. A frustrated sound left him and Iza leaned down onto his chest, pressing her softness even closer as she caught his lips in a fiery kiss. He nearly stole the breath from her lungs when something electric blue in color and white hot burned through him from head to toe, causing his hips to jerk up and tearing a harsh sound from Iza’s throat. He wanted to apologize; he was supposed to be gentle. But that wicked sensation did not want to cease and it made something boil low in the base of his spine until he was rocking his hips up from the ground, letting out desperate sounding moans against her lips. He feared he might hurt her with the way he was squeezing her hands so tight, but there was little he could do when that boiling sensation burned even hotter and shot straight through him and out of him. He heard soft keening above the sound of his own rough, ragged breathing and felt the heavy crash of Iza’s body against his.

Slowly, the pretty surroundings began to fade back into his bedroom and he found he’d fallen onto his back. Iza lay panting with her face buried in the crook of his neck, whimpering softly on each exhale. Shaking a hand free, he reached up and lightly brushed his fingers down her spine, his brows going up high on his forehead when she gave a quiet cry and arched away from the touch.

“ _No_ ,” she sounded drugged and likely would have looked it too if she were able to lift her head. “Don’t… I need a minute…”

“Are you okay?” He wished he could see her face but the angle made it damn near impossible without making her lift her head.

“I think so,” swallowing, she tucked her face tighter against his neck and blew out a breath. “Obi-Wan is going to _kill_ me.”

“For what?” That confused the hell out of him. Even more so than he already was. “He knows that we bond, doesn’t he?”

“He does,” nodding, Iza finally managed to prop herself up a little and look at him. Her eyes were such a startlingly vivid shade of peridot that Catcher couldn’t help the way he grasped her chin to get a better look. “What? What’s wrong?”

“I haven’t seen your eyes this color in a long time.” He turned her head from side to side as if checking to see if it was a trick of the light. “What did you do?”

Giving an adoring smile, Iza leaned in and kissed him deeply as she rubbed her palm against the center of his bare chest, causing a strange shiver to crawl up his back.

“Do you feel it?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Feel…” he trailed off as he realized there was something different within him entirely. Aside from the fact that the brunette was perched on top of him, there was a sort of warm, heavy weight settled in the center of his chest that he was quite certain hadn’t been there before. It took up quite a bit of space, in fact, but seemed to have left enough room for him to breathe. If he concentrated hard enough, he realized that it was _her_. Just his Little Bit all snuggled nice and tight around his heart where she belonged. Staring at her in awe, he blinked. “ _How?_ ”

“Jedi devilry.” Iza grinned and snickered at the frustrated look she received in return. Leaning over to kiss him, she affectionately knocked her head against his and hummed. “It is simply a deeper bond, Catcher. The Mando’a term for it is… er…” she frowned deep in thought. “ _Riduurok_. The literal translation is scary so don’t go looking it up.”

“Marriage.” He said plainly, giving her a look. “I did look through your translation datapads, you know. I was bored.”

“ _Love Bond_.” She didn’t know why the other word made her so damn flustered. “It is not the same thing.”

“Why would Obi-Wan be upset, then?”

“Because it’s a form of Runi I’m not supposed to engage in yet.” Tracing her finger along his jaw, Iza sucked in another sharp breath when he brushed his fingers down her spine again. “ _Force_ , why does that feel so intense?”

“I’m not doing anything,” frowning, Catcher picked his head up to look at her. “I’m just touching, Little Bit.”

“Is it doing it to you?”

“I… don’t know?”

Eyeing him, Iza brushed her fingers up along his side and jumped when he shouted and twisted away from the touch. _Apparently_ he was just as sensitive. For a minute, the two of them just stared at each other like they weren’t sure what to do. And then she saw something sinister flicker in his pretty eyes and before she had the chance to move away, he was sweeping the tips of his fingers up the length of her back, causing her to holler and roll away from him. Laughing, he caught her by the ankle and started lightly stroking up along her calf while she protested and pushed at him with her other foot, turning over onto her belly to grab the mattress and try to pull away. She let out a soft cry when he covered her from behind, the sound melting into a giggle when he started kissing at her neck. Iza might have been content to let him continue the odd teasing had the door not suddenly slid open to reveal a very concerned pair of Dark Jedi.

“ _Can you **knock**?!_” Catcher ripped the top blanket up from beneath them and draped it around their shoulders as he pulled Iza up into his arms.

“She was shouting _no_.” Anakin’s hard gaze flicked between the two of them, eyes narrowing sharply as they fixed solely on Catcher.

“He was _tickling_ me,” trying not to squirm as the fabric of the blanket skimmed across her skin, Iza did her best to maintain a straight face.

“You’re not ticklish.”

“I am _sometimes_.”

“Darling,” Obi-Wan leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms, tilting his head curiously. “Have you done what I think you’ve done?”

“Depends on what you think I’ve done.” Letting out a soft squeak when Catcher’s fingers brushed over her hip, she pinched the top of his thigh and had to press her lips together tight to stop from smiling at the harsh sound that came out of him.

“ _Ganar gar ru'majycir at te riduurok?_ ” The older man’s look was very pointed and Iza dropped her head a little, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth before she nodded.

“ _Elek_.”

“Foolish girl,” tutting softly with a laugh, Obi-Wan shook his head at her. “The two of you will be like this all night.”

“Like what? What did you say to her?” Looking between his two lovers, Anakin frowned hard. “What did she do?”

“Nothing _you’ve_ never done, dear one,” flashing a knowing smile at the younger man, he gave him a pat on the shoulder before gesturing for him to leave. Pointing a finger at Iza, he shot her a hard look. “We will _talk_.”

“Yes, Master Kenobi.”

Iza watched the way he struggled to maintain his stern expression and felt a zip of _something_ along the bond she shared with him that sent a shiver up her spine. Barely stopping the gasp from leaving her throat, she sank back against Catcher and waited for the doors to close before throwing the blanket off.

“Too much. _Too much_.” Had she been this sensitive when Anakin had deepened their bond? Or even Obi-Wan? Feeling the gentle brush of calloused fingers slide along the indent of her waist, Iza let out a shaky yelp and batted at Catcher’s hand. “ _Catch_ ,”

“Is there a way to make it stop?” He smiled playfully as he rested his chin on her shoulder, shivering involuntarily at the feel of her wet hair on his skin. “Meditation or something?”

“I’d have to ask,” from the corner of her eye, she saw him raise a hand and knew exactly where it was going. “ _Catcher_ ,”

“Come on, Little Bit,” he turned his head to kiss her neck again and lightly pinched her nipple, growling at the sound she made and the way she shivered against his chest. “When was the last time we went _all night?_ ”

“I think— _fuck, Catch_ —when we were out with the Wolf Pack. You kept _insisting_ they’d watched me in that pitiful shower.” Grinning, she shot him a look and dropped her head back on his shoulder, whimpering as he cupped and teased her breasts. “You were so fucking jealous. You didn’t let me sleep at all that night. Kept— _not so hard_ —you kept saying such _filthy_ things.”

“Funny,” he set his teeth against her skin and bit down gently, dragging the edges up to her ear with a growl. “I remember it being the night I snapped Ze’s fingers. _You_ were the one so hot after me you couldn’t keep your damn hands off me. _Twisted girl, you are_.”

“Are we going to argue about it or are we just going to do it?”

“You’re so much _fun_ when you’re riled up though, Little Bit.”

“Find some other way to piss me off,” knocking her head against his, the brunette turned to look at him and gave his cheek a tentative lick, watching him pull back to stare at her. “Oh—was that _weird?_ ”

“Yes,” he nodded and gave her tits a good squeeze. “ _Do it again_.”

Grinning, she leaned back to knock him back onto the mattress with a giggle before poking her tongue out like she was going to repeat the move. In turn, Catcher sealed his mouth over hers and growled possessively, dragging his hands down her torso and back up again, giving the tiniest pinch to the hard tips of her breasts. When she keened into his mouth and rolled over on top of him, he simply smiled up at her and settled his hands on her hips.

“You better lock that door, devil woman.” Leaning up, he nipped the end of her chin. “I will _not_ be interrupted again.”

~*~*~*~

Not a single soul in the apartment was prepared for the horrific scream that rang out in the late hours of the night. Anakin, who’d been out on the balcony sneaking a cigarette, had nearly crashed through the transparisteel slider trying to get back inside to find the source. He met a wild-eyed Obi-Wan in the hallway on his way to Catcher’s bedroom. Apparently that had been where the sound had come from. Both men skid to a halt in front of the door, but it was Anakin who used the Force to override the lock and got it open. Inside, Catcher held tight to a hysterical Iza, who kept grabbing at his arms and babbling something that sounded like absolute nonsense.

“Darling—”

“ _Don’t!_ ” The Clone held a hand up to stop the older man from approaching the bed, a fierce look in his eye when he picked his head up to look at him. “Don’t touch her. You need to get out.”

“What the _fuck_ , Catcher?!” Anakin felt his hands shaking as he ran them through his hair. He wasn’t sure if he was feeding off of whatever fear Iza was feeling or if this was _his_. It was unpleasant, whatever it was.

“Get out,” the other man repeated, hissing when Iza’s nails scratched down his forearm. Tucking his head against hers, he cradled her cheek in a palm and shut his eyes. “It’s okay, Little Bit. You’re all right. I’m here. You’re safe.”

“Asajj,” Iza’s voice was tiny and weepy as she stared blindly ahead, tears streaking down flushed cheeks. “ _Asajj_.”

“Darling, what about her?” Obi-Wan spoke softly, earning a growl from Catcher when he slowly approached the bed and knelt beside it.

“She said… _she said_ …” she breathed in shallow pants, gripping Catcher so tight that her nails threatened to break the skin. “Three will take his place.”

“What?” Anakin hadn’t moved from his spot. He still felt sick to his stomach and it was getting worse by the second.

“One will fall,” Iza lurched like she might be sick and swallowed hard. “Three will take his place.”

“I don’t understand what that means.”

“I killed her. He made me… I had to…” turning, the brunette buried her face against Catcher’s chest and sobbed, sucking in a sharp breath when he rubbed at her back to try and soothe her. “He’s going to make me kill her!”

“It’s a premonition,” Obi-Wan sounded concerned and quite upset. “Not a nightmare.”

“Excuse me,” holding his hand up, Anakin turned on his heel and left the room at the same pace he’d entered it. He could be heard running to the washroom to be sick but the others tried their best to give him his privacy and not focus on the horrid sounds of his retching.

“What does _three will take his place_ mean, Kenobi?” Catcher asked, carding his fingers through Iza’s hair.

“I’m not sure,” he had a _faint_ idea, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to share it while Iza was so upset. “Darling?”

“I don’t know, _I don’t know!_ ” Curling in closer to Catcher, she clung to him tighter and the sound of Anakin vomiting in the next room could be heard again. Someone needed to calm her down before they got worse.

“I need you to bond with her,” Obi-Wan looked up at the other man and gestured to the brunette. “The way you did on the gunship. Just hold her hands and calm her down.”

“Can’t you—”

“I cannot. Neither of us can. It must be _you_.”

Looking a bit unsure, Catcher nodded reluctantly and slowly started pulling back from Iza, hating the way she whined at him when he pried her arms off.

“Shh, Little Bit,” kissing her forehead, he sought her hands out and laced their fingers together, flattening his palms to hers. “Breathe with me, sweetheart. Like we used to.”

“I don’t want— _I can’t_.”

“Sweetheart, I’m not taking anything. I promise.” Scattering more kisses across her face, he gave her hands a reassuring squeeze and pulled her against his chest. “Look at me, Little Bit. Look me in the eye.”

She hesitated, ultimately bringing her eyes up to meet his. He smiled at her and gave the gentlest of bumps to her forehead, nuzzling his nose against her cheek and drawing in a deep breath.

“Reach, sweetheart,”

“Catcher,”

“I _swear_ to you, I won’t take. On everything, I swear.”

Again, Iza hesitated. She felt as though she didn’t have much of a choice but to trust him, and so she did. Closing her eyes, she leaned further into his chest and tightened the hold she had on his hands, sending her Force energy down along their bond to meet his. Letting out a tiny sound when he met her in the middle and lured her into breathing in sync with him, she felt the all-too familiar warmth that had always accompanied his attempts to calm her start to surround her. As promised, he didn’t pull at the uncomfortable things that swirled in her head and upset her belly. He only pulled her into a calmer state of being until their hearts seemed to beat as one. She felt him skim his cheek against hers affectionately, the light scratch of stubble jarring her out of her meditative state and bringing her back to the present. Surprisingly, the anxiety didn’t settle back into her chest, even as she pulled her hands free from his grasp and wound her arms around his middle again.

“That’s my girl,” he whispered into her hair, running a soothing palm down her back, only to have her jump at the touch and plant her face into his shoulder. Chuckling, he winced. “Sorry sweetheart. I forgot.”

“Are you all right?” It was hard to tell who Obi-Wan was talking to, as Anakin’s Force signature had returned to the doorway.

“Yeah,” the younger man answered, looking a little dazed. “I have to say, I’m not a big fan of that side effect.”

“It is rather strange,” Obi-Wan frowned and rose to his full height, eyeing the two on the bed. “Curious how you manage to absorb her stress like that, Anakin. That’s twice now she’s made you physically ill.”

“She projected,” he turned his hand up and shrugged. “I latched on. I just wanted to help.”

“ _Don’t_ do that,” Iza’s voice was muffled by the swell of Catcher’s shoulder and she turned to look at him. “Don’t take those things from me. Let the Force have them, Anakin.”

“It wasn’t on purpose, sweetness. Just a reflex.”

“Have you got anymore cigarettes?” She didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

Anakin tried not to look sheepish—especially when Obi-Wan glanced back at him—and gave a slow nod.

“I do.”

“Good,” flipping back the blankets, Iza slipped out of the bed and reached for one of the tunics that had been discarded on the floor, pausing to look back at Catcher. “It isn’t for me. He’s smoking it.”

“You swear?” The Clone gave a skeptical look.

“I swear, love.” Leaning over to press a quick kiss to his lips, she lightly nudged her forehead into his. “You may join us, if you like.”

“You know I hate the smell.” Scrunching his nose, he shook his head and gave a light wave of his hand. “Go. I’d like to talk to Obi-Wan for a minute.”

“Okay.” Giving him another kiss, she snatched the tunic up from the floor and pulled it on over her head with a hiss and a shiver before following Anakin out of the room. Once she was gone and the door had shut behind her, the Clone heaved out a breath and pressed his face into his palms.

“You can’t let that man near her,” he swallowed thickly, shaking his head. “I saw… I don’t know what I saw. But you can’t…”

“I’m afraid I don’t have a choice in the matter anymore, Catcher,” Obi-Wan was as sympathetic as he could be in that moment. He understood well enough why the other man would want to keep Iza away from Dooku. Hell, _he_ wanted to keep her away from him too. But once Iza decided she wanted something, it was very hard to convince her to let it go. It seemed that the only way for her to learn was the hard way. “I would love nothing more than to change her mind. You must know that.”

“Is there some way you can influence him not to take her on as a pupil?”

“I don’t know.”

“She’s not up to speed on the things you and Anakin are. Wouldn’t he rather—”

“Count Dooku has a very strange preference when it comes to choosing his pupils. Surely you’ve come across General Grievous at least _once?_ ” A short laugh escaped Obi-Wan as he rubbed at his beard and stared at the floor. “And Asajj… I’m still very unsure what prompted him to select _her_. Her need for guidance, perhaps. Her past has not been kind to her. She was a prime candidate for his Dark teachings.”

“And you?”

“Me?” Obi-Wan blinked and shrugged. “I suppose he wants a true apprentice. Someone to be his _Second_. I blame Qui-Gon and his incessant praise.” He rolled his eyes. “The Count has been on my heels for years, trying to turn me over. When he realized I’d Fallen on my own he began using new tactics, _bartering_ with me. When he threatened to use Anakin against me, I struck a deal with him. I’m sure Iza has—”

“Iza doesn’t always tell me your private business, Obi-Wan,” Catcher mostly wanted to reassure the man that he and the little woman didn’t sit around _gossiping_ all the time. “Just as I would hope she doesn’t always tell you ours.”

“She does not.”

“She said something about a Midi-chlorian test earlier tonight. Whose idea was that?”

Obi-Wan’s brows lifted high on his forehead and he leaned against the wall with a gentle shrug of his shoulders.

“Hers. I only offered to make sure the test and its results remained private. She insisted on letting _you_ be the one to decide whether it takes place at all.” Eyeing him, the older man pursed his lips lightly. “Catcher, no one in this home has any ill-will towards you. I do hope you understand that.”

“It isn’t _me_ I’m worried about.” Catcher really hoped that Obi-Wan couldn’t see how hard he was fighting to keep his jaw from clenching. The last thing that needed to happen tonight was a fist fight that he wasn’t even sure he could win. Iza would be so fucking disappointed in him.

“You believe we’ve got some ulterior motive with _her?_ ”

“You’ve threatened to leave her several times for some pretty stupid reasons, Kenobi.”

Obi-Wan couldn’t keep the guilt off of his face. Drawing in a deep breath, he let it out slowly and shifted his gaze elsewhere in the room.

“I suppose that does look awful on my part, doesn’t it?” Poking his tongue into his cheek, he folded his arms across his chest. “I admit that sometimes I’ve got no idea how to handle her. She is so… _headstrong_ at times that it’s infuriating. I used to think that Anakin was bad, but he’s almost docile in comparison.”

“That’s not an excuse.”

“No, it is not.” He gave a nod of his head in agreement. “It has just been a very long time since I’ve loved a woman so independent. The last time…” he paused, hesitating. “The last time I allowed myself this amount of freedom in an intimate attachment, I was left quite… _damaged_.”

“Is this why you’re the control freak?”

“You do not mince words, do you?”

“What’s the point?” Catcher shrugged and scratched the back of his neck. He didn’t see any reason not to be blunt. It wasn’t like he didn’t feel bad for the guy; he just wanted an answer as to why he was such an _asshole_ to his Little Bit sometimes.

“ _Tact_ , my friend.” Obi-Wan had to fight not to roll his eyes. “We all have our faults, Catcher. I am doing my best to work on mine, just as Anakin is doing his best to work on his, and Iza is on hers. You are not perfect either.”

“I would never threaten to up and leave just because she did something I don’t approve of.” Catcher looked him dead in the eye as he said it and was almost glad for the uncomfortable way Obi-Wan shifted against the wall. _Good_. He ought to feel that way.

“I’m fully aware of how terrible a thing it is for me to want to hurt her so deeply. I suppose it is just a defense mechanism to keep from _being_ hurt.”

“You two really need to learn how to fuck your problems out.”

“Oh, like _you?_ ” A smirk twitched the corner of Obi-Wan’s mustache upward. “Shall I start confining her to the bedroom to— _ah_ — **fuck** her until she cannot move, the way you do?”

“It’s effective.”

“It’s brutish and solves nothing.”

Catcher squinted at him for a minute before wagging his finger at him.

“ _You_ are the one who started her on the _punishment_ kink kick she’s been on as of late so don’t give me that bantha shit. Honestly, if I have to hear her call me _Commander_ in that damn _tone_ of hers one more time, I’m going to break down your bedroom door and make you fix whatever you broke in her.”

“I’ve done nothing.” Obi-Wan leaned away from the wall, tucking his hands behind his back while maintaining as innocent of an expression as possible.

“Mm, _I’m sure_ ,” shaking his head with a huff, Catcher pursed his lips. “Just— _stop_ fucking with her like that, got it? The next time she cries to me about you throwing a threat in her face like that, I will not hesitate to knock you into next week. Either one of you.”

“Duly noted.”

“Good. Now, do you mind getting out so I can put some damn pants on? I get the feeling Little Bit is going to be up for the rest of the night so I might as well make some caf for her.”

“You should try tea,” Obi-Wan moved towards the door. “It will help her go back to sleep.”

“You don’t understand,” shaking his head, Catcher heaved a sigh. “She doesn’t… when she has nightmares—or _premonitions_ —she doesn’t go back to sleep. I’ll be lucky if she even sleeps for the next few days.” Pausing, he gave Obi-Wan an almost frantic look. “Don’t go knocking her out, either. You will only make it worse.”

“Her nightmares,” twisting to look back at the other man, Obi-Wan frowned. “When was the last time she had one?”

“It’s been a while. A long while. Maybe half a year?” Catcher scrunched his face in thought. “I’m sure you’ve noticed she sometimes has little fits in her sleep, but she hasn’t had a screamer in a long time.”

“She does get a bit _kicky_ at times.”

“Popper thinks it’s because of the war. _We_ were built for the things we’ve seen out on the battleground— _she_ wasn’t. Tough as she can be, Little Bit has always had a hard time dealing with the casualties.” He shrugged, turning his hand up. “The last time she had a true nightmare, she refused to tell me what it was about. She just kept _crying_ and begging me not to make her go back to the Temple. That’s when I started bothering Rex about letting her sleep in the barracks with us. To this day I have no idea what spooked her so much, but I wasn’t going to force her to stay somewhere she wasn’t comfortable.”

A funny look crossed Obi-Wan’s face then, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he just nodded and turned to leave again.

“I’ll get the machine started. I must be getting back to bed, but tell her that if she wishes to talk, she is free to wake me.”

“I’ll do that,”

“Catcher,” Obi-Wan paused at the door again, drumming his fingers against the frame. “You have my word that I will not hurt that girl. In any manner. A bastard I may be, but I am not a fucking bastard.”

“Good. Because I would hate to have to kill you.”

The older man smirked, letting out a soft snort before he gave a final tap of his fingers against the doorframe and walked out.

~*~*~*~

“You’re sure you’re all right, sweetness?” Anakin asked as he sat propped against the wall with Iza’s head in his lap. He’d already smoked through two cigarettes and was starting in on a third when she reached up to stop him, shifting around to rest between his legs and settle her cheek against his belly.

“I think so,” staring blankly out at the beach, she toyed with the material of the outer robe he wore, flinching with a soft whine when he brushed a bit of her hair behind her ear.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, tilting his head as he looked down at her. “Did I startle you?”

“Sensitive.” She mumbled, barely sparing him a glance.

“I wasn’t going to bother you about that, but…” cautiously, he ran his fingers through her hair, satisfied that it didn’t seem to invoke the same response. “What was it that Obi-Wan said to you? My Mando’a isn’t as good as yours.”

“ _Riduurok_.”

“Uh-huh, and that means?”

“ _Love bond_.”

“You don’t want to discuss this with me, do you?” Smiling faintly, Anakin watched as Iza finally turned her head to look up at him. She seemed to silently contemplate something before sighing and looking away again.

“I deepened my bond with Catcher. It’s no different than what you and Obi-Wan have done with me.”

“Okay, sweetness,” nodding as he continued stroking at her hair, the younger man frowned. “Did you think I would be upset?”

“I don’t know.” Twisting the fabric of his robe around her fingers, she pulled it closer to her and inhaled slowly. “I’m sorry. My head is not clear, Anakin.”

“Can I help?”

“No. It will go away on its own. This is normal.”

“Sweetness,” sliding his fingers beneath her chin to get her to lift her head, Anakin gave a look of concern when she raised her eyes to meet his. “What do you mean _normal?_ ”

Sitting up with a heavy sigh, Iza rubbed the heel of her hand against one of her tired eyes and then waved it.

“It’s always like this after a nightmare. My mind becomes so full of fog that I cannot concentrate. If I close my eyes, all I see is whatever terrible thing that woke me up. It has been a while, but I’m used to this.” Noting the way he still seemed extremely concerned, Iza smiled and leaned over to brush her lips against his cheek. “ _Cyar’ika_ , do not be so upset. I will be all right. I always am.”

“I don’t like this, Iza,” winding an arm around her carefully, Anakin brought her close and cuddled her against his chest. “I don’t think—”

“If the next words out of your mouth have anything to do with discouraging my lessons with Dooku, please save them.” Iza sighed deeply, tucking her head beneath his chin. “I have made up my mind and there is no changing it.”

“You can’t be serious?”

“None of you will change my mind.”

Anakin thinned his lips in frustration, exhaling harshly through his nose and reaching for the packet of cigarettes once more. Getting one lit over the top of Iza’s head, he stared out at the compound with narrowed eyes and grunted when he felt her running her fingers along his side. He wouldn’t respond to the touch. He was annoyed; angry, even. He couldn’t understand how she could _still_ want to continue this when she’d been so damn terrified before. On second thought— _yes he could_. He knew how damn stubborn she was. He also knew how similar in nature they both were. How many times had he pursued something that had initially terrified him? Obi-Wan had probably kept count, but he had not.

“You really must quit that foul habit, Anakin,”

Both of the younger Dark Jedi jumped at the sound of Obi-Wan’s voice, but it was the brunette who shot him the dirty look.

“You need a _tracker_.” She muttered, pressing her face into Anakin’s chest. “ _Force_ ,”

“I’m sorry, darling,” smiling faintly he stepped out onto the balcony and crouched beside them. Studying her a moment, he reached out and lightly brushed his finger down the side of her face, humming at the way she shivered. “I wanted to check on you before I went to bed.”

“How can you sleep?” Anakin eyed him warily, blowing smoke from the corner of his mouth. “Aren’t you concerned?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Obi-Wan nodded, his blue eyes never leaving Iza’s face. “I’m very concerned.”

“I’m fine,” leaning back to look at him, Iza flashed a quick, tired smile. “I will tell you the same thing I’ve told him—I am used to this.”

“I understand, my dear,” he returned her smile and sighed. “Your Catcher has fixed some caf for you. If there is anything you need of me, you are free to ask.”

“Thank you.” Closing her eyes as he leaned in to kiss her forehead, she brushed her lips against his chin and tried not to smirk at the look he shot Anakin.

“I would like you to give them their privacy, Anakin,” blue eyes flicked to the smoldering cigarette the younger man held between his fingers. There seemed to be a moment of silent contemplation before he ultimately straightened to his full height and turned to head inside. “Come to bed when you’ve finished that disgusting thing.”

“Did you want some of it?” Anakin offered, holding it out.

Obi-Wan paused at the slider, glancing back over his shoulder. Again, he hesitated before pivoting and coming back to pluck it from the younger man’s fingers. Taking a quick, deep drag, Obi-Wan muttered a curse under his breath and ran his fingers through his hair. Bringing the filter to his lips a second time, he felt a light tug to his sleeping trousers and looked down to find Iza staring up at him. A brow went up and he brought himself down to her level, tipping his head back to blow the smoke away from her face.

“What is it, darling?” Passing the cigarette back to Anakin, he made a soft noise of surprise when Iza caught him by the face and pulled him in for a deep, near-drugging kiss. Honestly, had he not known she had a bond settling inside of her, he might have plucked her up from Anakin’s lap and taken her straight to bed with him for what that kiss did to him. The little nymph sucked at his tongue and even his lower lip when she pulled away and he was left to stare at her in absolute _awe_. The gentle drag of her nails through his beard brought him back to the present and he blinked at her, blowing out a harsh breath. “ _Well then_.”

“Good night, Obi-Wan,” of course she was going to look him dead in the eye while she licked her bottom lip like that. _Of fucking course_.

“Good night, darling,” his voice cracked, but he played it off like it was absolutely natural and that he also wasn’t sporting a damn _tent_ at the front of his trousers when he stood up again. He would flat out ignore the look he was getting from Anakin as well; smug little shit. He supposed now he understood why Anakin had taken the habit up again. It was not a good enough reason for him to do the same, but perhaps _once in a while_.

“You’re horrible, sweetness,” Anakin snickered as he watched Obi-Wan disappear into the apartment.

“I wanted to know what he tasted like.” Shrugging as though it was the most normal thing in the universe, Iza smiled and moved to get to her feet. “Be good to him for me, will you?”

Anakin choked on the next drag of his cigarette and promptly smashed the thing out as he coughed, feeling his face grow extremely hot. He almost didn’t look at her until he heard her snickering, glancing up to find her giving him a knowing look.

“I’ll say it again,” he had to pause to clear his throat. “ _You’re horrible_.”

“Love you too, _cyar’ika_.”

~*~*~*~

It would be another week before Iza and Obi-Wan made the journey to Serenno to finally visit Dooku. Anakin and Catcher had been made to stay behind at the Starscape—much to their collective dismay—to avoid any unnecessary conflict with the Count. Obi-Wan had spent the last few days instructing Iza on how she ought to behave in front of the man, insisting that her snappy tongue would not be appreciated and that she needed to mind her manners to the nth degree. She needed to treat him as an extreme version of Master Windu who was full of more pomp and was far more discriminating. He warned her not to follow his examples when speaking to the man. While Obi-Wan might be able to get away with some things due to favoritism, Iza certainly wouldn’t. This visit would not be long, but it would surely be enough for Count Dooku to get an idea of whether or not the brunette was worth his time and effort.

Obi-Wan had taken care with Iza’s appearance as well, dressing her in form fitting robes in varying shades of charcoal and tall black boots, and instructing her to bind her hair back as neatly as possible. He wore robes she’d never seen him in before; nearly all black from head to toe, save the red-brown leather boots he always wore, with silver fasteners on his belt and a thick cloak lined in a deep shade of maroon. The cloak he’d given her was similar, though its lining was a pale shade of blue. It was heavy and long and she wasn’t entirely sure _how_ he’d acquired it while they were out on Odran’oel, but she wasn’t going to question it. It was best not to question _any_ of this. He’d spent the last five minutes of their flight looking her over and fussing over stray hairs that she’d missed, going so far as to take her hair down and dampen it before binding it back himself. It all felt so _dramatic_ , but Iza couldn’t find it in her to say anything about it.

When they’d landed at the castle, she was in total awe of the place. Iza wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but perhaps she should have been more prepared for something so extravagant. Especially since she’d been made to gussy up so much for a simple meeting. When he reminded her for the tenth time to mind her manners, Iza almost stomped on his foot. She didn’t _need_ reminding when she was about to go inside of a place like this. It was intimidating enough to keep her on her best behavior. There’d been no one to greet them at the walkway—which was _eerily_ quiet—but a servant droid stood waiting at the door to allow them passage once it recognized Obi-Wan. Iza was almost afraid to breathe when they stepped inside. She’d felt a freezing rush of air surround her the moment the doors closed behind her and a strange sense of hollowness beginning to build in her belly. Doing her best to just focus on the sound of their combined footfalls on the slick tile flooring, she followed Obi-Wan through the hallways to a set of tall doors where the air was the coldest. She really tried not to start when the doors opened on their own and hoped that whoever—or _whatever_ —was on the other side hadn’t felt that sense of shock that ran through her.

“Kenobi,” a deep, drawling voice echoed through the dark chamber that had revealed itself to them. That iciness got worse and seeped in beneath the sleeves of Iza’s robes, chilling her skin and sinking deeper to squeeze her lungs. “What have I told you about _guests?_ ”

“Master,” Obi-Wan flipped the corner of his cloak and knelt on the long carpet leading up to a massive desk set in front of a window. Reaching over, he gave Iza’s heel a tap to signal that she ought to do the same. Without hesitating, Iza copied his movements and dropped to one knee, keeping her head low while Obi-Wan spoke. “I’ve brought a gift.”

 _A gift_.

The high-backed chair behind the desk swiveled, revealing the elderly man settled in it. Blazing red eyes glittered in the dim light of the office as they fixed on the two kneeling figures before a wave of his hand was given. Beside Obi-Wan, Iza gasped sharply as she was cranked to her feet and dragged forward to be dropped bodily at the base of the stairs in front of Dooku’s desk. Immediately, the brunette righted herself and took up the kneeling position again, steeling herself against the fear that had slowly started coiling around her gut. Invisible fingers grasped her jaw and jerked her head up, forcing her to look deep into those wicked red eyes.

“General Tacor,” Dooku released her, but kept his piercing gaze level with hers. “This _is_ a gift, Kenobi.”

“Master,” Obi-Wan approached slowly and stood beside Iza, hands tucked at the base of his spine beneath his cloak. “The girl—”

“I’m very aware of what the girl wants, Kenobi,” rising from his chair, Dooku fixed the younger man with a hard look before shifting his gaze back to Iza. “I have neither the time nor the patience for her.”

Iza wasn’t sure if she was relieved. She had never had the misfortune of being in the presence of this man, but there was something so chilling in the air that surrounded him that made her sure she wouldn’t last long in his _care_. She had never met a Sith before—not a _true_ Sith, anyhow. Did they all carry such a heavy presence of _dread_ with them? Or was he projecting it onto her to test her? Whatever it was, it was making her mind race at a million miles a second and she was finding it difficult to keep her head clear.

“You would throw my gift back at me, Master? After I worked so hard to break her for you?”

Dooku’s mustache seemed to twitch, eyes glittering as they stared Obi-Wan down from behind the desk. A soft intake of breath was heard, followed by an impatient sigh before the elderly man was reaching for a wine goblet set out on his desk.

“Have you broken her, Kenobi?” Dooku mused, bringing the rim of the goblet to his lips. “Or have you made yourself another _pet_ like Skywalker?”

Iza flinched. She didn’t mean to. She also hadn’t meant to take such a sharp breath, either. Perhaps it was good that she had because she found that she was unable to take another as the sensation of strong fingers closed around her throat and held that breath in her lungs until they burned. She hated that she knew it was Obi-Wan who’d wrapped the Force around her neck like a garrote. It made that freezing sensation inside of her _that_ much worse. She’d lost her balance at some point, face colliding with the hard stone steps as the edges of her vision began to bleed black while she fought not to struggle too much. What else would he do if she fought him? Suddenly, the tightness eased up and she coughed horribly as she pulled fresh air into her lungs, rolling onto her side with a heavy wheeze.

 _Get up_.

Obi-Wan’s voice was clear as day in her head and far too gentle to be that of the same man who stood beside her. Swallowing against the soreness in her throat, the brunette righted herself once again and took up her kneeling position with her head bowed. She wanted to cry. She wanted to be sick. She could taste blood in her mouth from where her teeth had smashed against her lips when she fell. She thought she felt the warmth of Obi-Wan’s energy trying to slide down their bond, but she repelled it. She didn’t want him to touch her.

“You see? She is very obedient, my Master. She only wishes to learn the ways of the Dark Side from a proper teacher. I know no one fit for the job better than you.”

“Very well,” Dooku sounded annoyed and looked it as he swirled the wine in his goblet and took another sip. “Kenobi,”

“Yes, Master?”

“No more _pets_.” Narrowing his eyes, the Sith pointed his goblet at the brunette who seemed to be trembling as she continued to kneel before his desk. “I do not care how much you’ve broken them. This will be the last.”

“Yes Master,”

“You are dismissed.” Reclaiming his seat, Dooku settled back in his chair and eyed Iza for a moment before waving his hand to lift her head. He seemed surprised that the girl hadn’t yet broken out in tears and appeared to be holding tight to her resolve. _Interesting_. “I want her in something more practical next time, Kenobi. First lesson starts in a week.”

“Yes Master,” stooping to help Iza to her feet, Obi-Wan was not at all surprised when Iza stood on her own. He was, however, shocked when the brunette gave a deep bow to the man in front of her.

“Thank you for the privilege, Master Dooku,” she felt the bile creeping up her throat even as she said it. “I will not disappoint you.”

“See to it that you do not.” He swiveled in his chair, signaling the end of the conversation. Both Dark Jedi turned and slowly walked out of the office in silence, continuing through the halls of the castle and out into the courtyard. Obi-Wan could feel Iza starting to shake before they reached the starship and realized she’d thrown up every single block she could to keep him out when he tried to reach for her along their bond.

Once inside the ship, she’d started pulling at the clasp of the cloak around her neck, almost tearing it off in her haste to remove it. She yanked her hair down from its tight bindings next, sucking down heavy gasps of breath as hard tremors wracked her body and made her lightsaber rattle against the metal details of her belt.

“Darling—”

“Don’t you fucking _touch_ me!” Iza threw her hands out at him and gave him a wild look, eyes wide and a brilliant shade of gold. “You… stay _very_ far away from me!”

“My darling girl, _please_ ,” he would heed her warning just for the sake of not getting a fist to the face, but it wouldn’t stop him from at least _trying_ to calm her down. “I did warn you quite heavily what we were going into.”

“You said _nothing_ about strangling me!”

“I _told_ you, Iza! I _told_ you I would have to prove my word!”

“A _gift_ , Obi-Wan? A _pet?_ ” Iza’s head was starting to spin. She needed to sit down. Shoving past him to get to the cockpit, she sank into the captain’s chair and swallowed against a rolling heave of her stomach. “Does Anakin know you think of him as such _filth?_ ”

“Iza—”

“And _really_ —taking credit for _breaking me_ when it was Master Windu who did it? You really do belong on this side of things, don’t you darling?”

“ _Listen to me you stupid girl,_ ” storming over, Obi-Wan seized her by the front of her robes and hauled her out of the chair. “ _You_ wanted this! We are here because of _you_ , darling. If you think I somehow _enjoyed_ what I had to do in there, I assure you— ** _I did not_** _._ ” Snarling through gritted teeth, the older man gave her a light shake like it might put some damn sense into her. “That man is a fucking _monster_. You have just pledged your loyalty to a _demon_ , my darling. The only way out now— _the only way to end this_ —is to kill him. A decision _you_ insisted we hold off on.”

Obi-Wan froze when the cold metal of Iza’s lightsaber pressed against the side of his throat. He hadn’t even seen her reach for it. He was so lost in his haze of rage that he’d only been focused on one thing. A damn rookie mistake, really. This was what happened when one let _passion_ get in the way of clear thinking, he supposed.

“Will you kill me, darling?” He asked, staring down into the golden hued irises that almost seemed to glow with fury. “Are you so lost in your anger that you would take my life for _your_ mistake?”

“Let. _Go_.”

He released his hold on her robes, taking a step back for good measure. He honestly didn’t expect her to clock him in the jaw—though, he really should have. Grunting at the sheer force behind the punch, Obi-Wan opened his mouth to readjust his jaw and looked down to find Iza struggling to maintain her composure. The vibrant green of her natural eye color was starting to bleed back into her irises and she shook horribly as she stared at him before turning to rush towards the back of the starship. He followed without thinking and grabbed for her, resulting in another hard punch that landed on his shoulder. It hurt, but he only continued to try and gather her against his chest despite how much she struggled. It surprised him that she avoided hitting him anywhere near where his scar lay, the solid strikes of her hands landing everywhere except the long stretch of sensitive tissue. When she’d finally tired herself out enough for him to wrap his arms around her and restrain her, Obi-Wan took her to the floor of the starship, hauling her onto his lap and resting his forehead to hers firmly.

“My girl,” he whispered, finding her hands to squeeze them tight. “You must know how much it pained me to hurt you that way.”

“You didn’t warn me,” Iza whimpered, shutting her eyes. “You didn’t say you were going to—”

“I know.” He sighed heavily and dared to press a tentative kiss to her lips. “I never wanted you or Anakin to see this side of me. I am so terribly sorry.”

“We have to kill him,” she croaked, curling into him. “We must end this, Obi-Wan.”

“It will not be an easy task now, darling.” Rubbing his thumb across her knuckles, he frowned. “You have struck a deal with him. You must honor it—for a little while, at least.”

Iza wanted to argue but found that she didn’t have the energy to. She hardly had the energy to keep her head up after all of that. She could feel Obi-Wan nudging at their bond again and she finally let him in, drawing in a sharp breath at the flood of warmth that followed. It was a comforting sensation, as always, but she found it did nothing to take away the chill still wallowing in her belly.

“Darling,” the older man whispered, brushing his lips against her cheek. “I know it is unfair of me to ask this of you, but you cannot speak of what happened here today to Anakin, nor to Catcher. You and I both know the kind of problems that would arise from it.”

Yeah—she knew. She didn’t want to think about what might happen if those two joined forces to try and take on the Sith by themselves. She also didn’t want to think about what might happen if they knew what Obi-Wan had done. There would be a lot more than just a few punches thrown and she had a bad feeling that it would end in Catcher stealing her away forever.

“I will not say a word.” She promised, leaning back to look at him. “But you must promise not to do anything like that again. And if you _must_ —at least warn me first.”

“I think that’s a fair trade.” Smiling faintly, Obi-Wan dipped his head to kiss her sweetly. They stayed cuddled together on the floor of the starship for a long while, occasionally trading kisses until the older man finally heaved a sigh and gave her a nudge. “We must be going, darling. If we stay any longer, the Count is likely to send a droid out to figure out what we’re still doing here.”

Nodding, Iza slowly crawled out of his lap and watched him get to his feet. Taking the hand he offered, she let him lead her to the front of the starship and sat down in the co-pilot’s chair while he settled in the captain’s seat. Her mind drifted while Obi-Wan started the ship up and got them off of the planet, thoughts swirling around how all of this was going to play out. She wondered how she was going to explain her split lip and Obi-Wan’s bruised face. There was bacta in a med kit somewhere in the back, but she felt the smell of pineapple would be far more suspicious than the wounds themselves. And what of these _lessons?_ She was suddenly worried about what the Count would have to teach her and what his punishments might be if she were to fall out of line. He had not been afraid to freely manipulate her with the Force; would he continue to do the same? Would he follow Obi-Wan’s example and strangle her if he felt it necessary? These thoughts put something cold and heavy in the center of her chest and made it difficult to breathe.

“Darling,” Warm fingers brushed down the side of her face and Iza turned to look over at Obi-Wan, who smiled softly and leaned across the space between their chairs to kiss her forehead. “Do not fret. I will be with you. He will not be allowed to harm you.”

 _Force_ , she wished she could believe him. Even as he took her hand and squeezed her fingers, Iza had a horrible feeling that Obi-Wan would not be able to keep Dooku from making her suffer. She only hoped she’d be able to withstand whatever he happened to throw at her.

“Who are you, darling?”

“General Iza Tacor,” it was automatic now. She could recite it in her sleep, if prompted. “I’m a fucking _soldier_. I can handle _anything_ and I don’t take shit from anyone. I can tear a commando droid apart with my bare hands and I’m not afraid to do the same to a grown man.”

“Go on, darling.”

“I’m a _beast_.”

“That’s my girl,” smiling, Obi-Wan leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Let’s get you home. I have a horrible feeling we’re going to be given the third-degree the minute we land at Starscape.”

“You and me both, my love. You and me both.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep your eyes out for the sequel~
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT KUDOS AND COMMENTS!!! Y'ALL ARE THE BEST!!!


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